Of Daemons and Kings
by Ms. Zeal
Summary: COMPLETE. Some of the royal tombs had been lost over time and some destroyed in the various wars and natural disasters throughout the years. A very few had been sealed away and forgotten, their very existence struck from the history books. It's a pity no one mentioned that to Noctis...
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

The sound of steel clashing against chitin was loud in the shallow valley as four men dressed in black fought against a pack of giant centipedes. The insects were each almost ten feet in length, scuttling across the ground at incredible speeds to ram into their opponents before raising half their bodies in the air to attack with their long and sharp pincers or to shoot a stream of poisonous saliva at their foes.

One of the men, a short lanky blond dressed in a sleeveless shirt and pants with a lighter gray shapeless design across the front, fired off several shots before ducking back behind the tree he was using for cover. "Man, these are _not_ the type of bad guys I like to fight," Prompto groaned. "Why does it always have to be _bugs?!_ "

"Quit your crying," one of his companions replied, the ebony-haired man bringing a greatsword down in an overhead strike to finish off one of the wounded centipedes. Noctis dismissed the weapon in a burst of crystalline shards before summoning a pair of daggers better suited for close combat to his hands. Sharp blue eyes surveyed the area from beneath his dark fringe as he debated which insect would be his next target. His short-sleeved jacket flared out as he spun, quickly raising his daggers to parry the sharp pincers of a centipede that almost managed to sneak up behind him. "We need the money to get the car fixed and this was the only hunt that was close enough."

"Hey, I voted we stop and make camp last night," Prompto shot back, firing a few more rounds before ducking underneath a stream of poison aimed at his head. "But _someone_ wanted to go looking for that stupid map scrap- which, I might add, didn't even lead to any treasure!"

"The iron giant wouldn't have been a problem if we'd left the headlights on," Noctis pointed out, throwing one of his blades toward a centipede heading toward Prompto's blindside. The prince's innate magic pulled him through the air, hurtling along the weapon's path in a streak of blue light. He grabbed the dagger's hilt just before it struck near the centipede's tail, his added momentum driving the blade deep and effectively pulling the insect's attention from the gunman to himself.

"Then we would have returned to a damaged Regalia with a dead battery," came the dry reply from one of the other men. Lithe and tall with light brown hair, Ignis moved with a deadly grace as he buried his dagger in a centipede's head before he turned his attention to the youngest members of the group as he adjusted his glasses. The button down shirt and suit jacket the royal advisor wore looked like they were more suited to a business lunch than a battlefield. "The headlights Cindy installed for us keep the daemons from appearing in the road as we drive- they would do nothing for a parked car."

Noctis sighed in frustration, switching his daggers for a sword and blocking a pair of pincers headed for his throat with the blade. "Alright, I get it- it's my fault we're out here," he grunted, pushing the centipede back and cutting off two of its legs before it could recover.

Ignis rolled out of the way of a charging centipede, quickly regaining his feet and readying his daggers as it swung around to face him. "We're not blaming anyone for this," he stated, ducking under another poisonous stream of saliva.

"I am!" Prompto declared. He opened his mouth to add more only for the words to turn to a yelp as a centipede surprised him, falling flat on his back as the creature reared up over him. He could practically feel the air pressure as a greatsword swept over him, crashing into the centipede and knocking it clear out of Prompto's field of view.

"Don't- you need to keep all your focus on your opponents," the fourth man advised, offering a hand to the gunman. Gladiolus was a bear of a man, easily the tallest and most muscle bound member of the group. The King's Shield lived up his title, his form-fitting sleeveless shirt accentuating the hard muscles across his broad chest, leaving little to the imagination. He easily pulled the blond back to his feet. "Besides," the brunet added, sweeping the greatsword in an arc and knocking back three more centipedes that had thought to take advantage of his distraction, "it was kind of your fault we were running late to begin with."

"What? No it wasn't!" Prompto defended indignantly, standing at Gladio's back as he continued firing at the insects.

"Need I remind you who was desperate to get a picture of Lestallum across the Taelpar Crag?" Ignis asked, his daggers disappearing in a burst of crystalline shards as he called his spear to hand, impaling yet another centipede.

"And the mountain at the Cauthess gas station?" Noctis pitched in.

Gladio dismissed his great sword, summoning his shield to block as a centipede spit its poisonous saliva at him. "Not to mention the Duscae Imperial Base," he added, smirking at the small blond over his shoulder.

"Hey, we're getting paid for that last one!" Prompto pointed out, quickly lowering his gun as Noctis moved into his line of fire. He paused as he felt a drop of water, glancing up at the dark clouds covering the sky and groaning internally. Riding the chocobos back to the Taelpar rest area through a downpour would just be the icing on the cake.

"True," Ignis agreed, dismissing his spear after he dispatched the last creature near him. "Our funds are running rather low at the moment, so we won't hold that last one against you."

"As for the others," Prompto continued, "well, if I don't get the pictures now, who's to say it will still be there later?"

"You're never going to let that go, are you?" Noctis muttered, throwing his blade and stunning the last centipede he could see in the area with a warp-strike before switching to his axe and chopping off its head before it could recover. He pushed himself back to his feet, the weapon breaking apart in crystalline shards and fading away as he dismissed it. "I already said I was sorry," he stated, making his way back over to the others. "How was I supposed to know that Titan would disappear and do who-knows-what with the meteor?"

"Anyway," Gladio interrupted, letting his weapon disappear, "it looks like we got 'em all." He carefully scanned the area for any movement, frowning when he felt a couple drops of water hit his arm.

"And not a moment too soon," Ignis stated, wiping an errant drop of rain from his glasses as he finished counting the centipedes. He pulled out a piece of paper, briefly studying it before replacing it in his pocket. "It looks like we got the whole colony- or, at least, matched the number the locals said have been acting up. While I'd like to get this turned in as soon as possible, I'd recommend we find shelter to wait out the storm first."

"Sounds good to me," Noctis agreed, looking at the sky. "Any suggestions on where?"

"I believe I saw a cave up there," Ignis said, pointing in the opposite direction of the road.

Noctis nodded. "Lead the way."

It didn't take more than a couple of minutes for the group to reach the cave, but by then the light drizzle had already turned into a torrential downpour. The cave was dark but dry and although the entrance was small, it opened up into a larger cavern. The darkness prompted them to pull out their flashlights, clipping them on jackets and belts to illuminate the cave.

Gladio walked the perimeter of the cavern, making sure no monsters or daemons were waiting in the darkness to ambush them while the other three sat on the rocky floor and started tending to the various cuts and scratches they'd received during the fight. The Shield finished his circuit and rejoined the others, though he kept an eye on the two paths that led deeper into the darkness.

An hour or so later the rain was still pouring down outside. "It's getting late," Ignis pointed out. "I doubt we'll make it back to the hotel before sunset. We'd best consider where to set down for the night."

"You want to camp _here?_ " Prompto exclaimed, incredulous.

"You got a better idea?" Gladio asked.

"Um, maybe, like, a _haven?_ " Prompto countered. "You know, somewhere the _daemons_ can't get us?"

"Unfortunately, there aren't any havens nearby according to the map," Ignis stated. "I would, however, like to find someplace a little less open." He glanced meaningfully at the two paths leading away from the chamber they were in.

Noctis followed his gaze. "Like a dead-end corridor or something and make camp there?"

Ignis nodded. "Whatever daemons traverse these passageways on a regular basis aren't likely to check the paths they know lead to a dead end," he pointed out. "I should also like to only worry about enemies coming from one direction, instead of being caught between two groups."

Gladio shrugged. "Sounds good to me," he said, looking to the prince for the final decision.

"Alright, spelunking it is," Noctis agreed, pushing himself back to his feet. "I was getting bored just sitting here waiting for the rain to stop anyway."

The Lucian prince took point, picking a path and summoning a dagger to his hand as he carefully headed down it. The passageway twisted and turned, forcing them to squeeze through narrow openings Gladio could barely fit through, hop over an underground stream and scale a rocky wall to make it down to the level below. They ran across several groups of lesser daemons- imps, hobgoblins and the like -but were able to dispatch them with ease. They had been walking for close to three hours before they finally caught a break.

"Hey, Noct!" Prompto called, jogging up to his best friend. "Do you see that over there?"

"What about it?" Noctis asked, turning to see the blond pointing at a path branching off the one they were currently heading down.

"Doesn't it look like there might be something glowing back there?"

"What, like the bigger daemons are coming out?" Gladio asked, readying his greatsword.

"It is about that time," Ignis said, shifting his grip on his daggers.

Prompto shook his head. "No, I got a good feeling about this," he assured them before turning back to the prince. "Mind if we check it out?"

Noctis shrugged. "Sure, why not? It's gotta be better than walking around in circles, anyway."

Prompto's gut feeling turned out to be right, the short passage leading to a small lake in a moderately sized cavern, complete with a pier for fishing. Large clusters of roots had grown down from the ceiling, disappearing beneath the surface of the lake and obscuring most of the far wall from view. Several small streams of water flowed down from a narrow opening in the roof, showing the storm was still going strong outside. Off to the side of the entrance and just out of sight from the main path they'd come from, were the softly glowing runes of a haven.

"Yes!" Prompto exclaimed, pumping his fist in the air. "We're not gonna be daemon food!"

"Nice job finding this place, Prompto," Noctis said with a smile, cuffing his friend on the shoulder.

"Very well done, indeed. I dare say we shall all sleep a bit easier tonight," Ignis agreed, moving to the haven and starting to clear off the smaller rocks and debris.

"Hey Noct, why don't you see if you can catch us some dinner while we set up camp?" Gladio suggested, jerking a thumb at the lake.

"Sounds good to me," the prince readily agreed, moving to the end of the pier and summoning his fishing rod. Selecting a lure at random, he cast his line and settled back to wait.

Thirty minutes later he was no closer to catching dinner, though he had to admit (if only to himself) the fault was his. He'd actually had two fish bite but had failed to react quickly enough to hook either one due to his attention being continually pulled to the far wall. His gaze once more was drawn to the rocky surface just visible past the hanging roots and water pouring from the ceiling. Something about it was...off, something he couldn't quite put his finger on...

The rod jerked, breaking Noctis out of his revere as the fishing pole was almost pulled from his lax hand. Gripping the rod more firmly, he yanked back on it, not intending to let _this_ one get away. The hook caught and held, prompting the fish to struggle more violently than before.

Noctis strained to follow the fish's movement in the darkness while it thrashed around and jumped, desperately trying to keep from being dragged in. For several long moments they fought, both fish and line wearing thin. The fish was about halfway to the pier now and Noctis could already tell it was a _beast_. Not even _Gladio_ could complain about the size of this one. The prince quickly began reeling again as the fish stopped fighting, imagining the look on his Shield's face as his eyes were drawn once more to the far wall. A sharp _snap_ quickly followed by a _whirring_ sound jerked his attention back to the fish but it was too late. The line had broken.

Noctis just stood there for a second or two, cursing vehemently beneath his breath. He almost jumped when Prompto spoke, not having heard the blond come up behind him.

"Too bad, dude," Prompto said, clapping a hand on the prince's shoulder. "You almost had him, too. Did you forget to change out the line again?"

"It wasn't the line," Noctis muttered sullenly, glaring at the far wall. What _was_ it that was so interesting about it anyway?

"You sure?" Prompto asked skeptically. "I mean, I'm no fisherman, but I'm _pretty_ sure I heard it snap..."

Noctis gestured impatiently. "Yes, the line snapped, but it's because I keep getting distracted by the wall," he explained, pointing across the lake.

Prompto blinked. "The wall?" he echoed. "What's so interesting about the wall?"

"I don't know," Noctis admitted, dismissing the rod in a shower of glowing shards and summoning his dagger to replace it. "But I'm going to find out."

"Dude, Iggy and Gladio are gonna _freak_ if you go off on your own- especially after dark," Prompto pointed out.

"It's just across the lake," Noctis argued. "Within both sight _and_ warping distance of the haven."

Prompto studied his best friend for a moment. "Alright, fine," he sighed, shaking his head. "But remember that not all of us can warp. It looks like there's enough room to walk around the lake on this side," he said, gesturing in the opposite direction of the haven. "Let me get at least halfway across first, yeah?"

"You don't have to come," Noctis said.

"And get my butt chewed by _both_ Ignis and Gladio for letting you go alone? No thanks." The blond turned to leave before pausing and glancing back across the water contemplatively. "Besides," he added. "I'm not sure you can actually warp that far. I need to be ready with my camera when you fall in the lake."

Since it was no longer just him, Noctis had been planning on walking around the lake with his friend. However a challenge like that could not simply be ignored. "You don't think I can do it?"

"I'd bet you 50 gil you fall in the water- if, you know, Ignis didn't make us pool all our money into the 'mutual fund,' that is," Prompto said, shrugging.

Noctis nodded pensively. "How about this: if I make it across, you can't bring up not getting a picture of the meteor ever again," he suggested.

Prompto eyed his friend suspiciously. "And if you don't?" he asked.

"The next time you want a picture of something we'll stop, regardless of where we are, where we're going or what we're doing," Noctis stated, hiding a grimace. He didn't really mind stopping for Prompto to get a picture of whatever landmark caught his eye. The problem was they always had to backtrack several minutes to find the 'perfect spot' for the blond to snap the photo, which frequently required them to park the Regalia on the highway with no shoulder to speak of.

Prompto eyed his friend a bit distrustfully. "You only get one shot? No warping again before you hit the water?" he clarified.

"One shot," Noctis agreed.

"And if the water's only up to your ankles, it still counts?" Prompto continued, trying to find any loopholes the prince may try and exploit.

"If I get wet at all, it's your win," Noctis stated, rolling his eyes. "So? Whaddya say?"

"Alright, you're on," Prompto agreed, a grin stretching across his features. "But you hafta let me get all the way across first- I want to see you land so you can't try to weasel your way out of it later."

Noctis laughed, giving the blond a friendly shove toward the bank. "Fine, but hurry up- I could've been there and back already," he said, smirking.

It only took Prompto a few minutes to make it to the other side, waving to Noctis once he was in position. Summoning one of his smaller daggers, the prince hefted it in his hand to get a feel for the weight before drawing back his arm and letting it fly. The familiar rush of magic filled him as he flew through the air before his hand closed around the weapon's hilt once more. He dismissed the blade immediately, flipping while still airborne and landing solidly on his feet...three or four feet from the water's edge. He couldn't help smirking at the blond gaping a little ways away.

Prompto was trying hard not to look impressed. "Dude! Why didn't you tell me you could do that?"

"Pretty sure I did," Noctis replied, grinning. "You know, with the whole 'I'm going to warp across the lake,' thing."

"Yeah, but I've never seen you warp even _half_ that distance," the blond insisted. "Why don't you do that when we're fighting?"

Noctis shrugged. "Not much point unless we're fighting a rock or something that doesn't move," he explained. "It's just a waste of energy to warp only to find your target a foot or three to your left."

"I guess I hadn't thought of it that way," Prompto said pensively. "Still, that was cool enough that I'm not even going to complain about losing the bet."

"Just so long as you uphold your end of it." Noctis was getting tired of the blond using the missed photo opportunity to guilt him into stopping every time something else caught his eye.

"I will. After all, I got a pretty sweet shot of Titan with the meteor when we were down in the crater, so it's all good," Prompto assured him. "So, what's so important about this wall, anyway?"

Noctis shook his head. "I don't know," he said, walking toward the wall in question. It certainly didn't look any different from the other walls of the cavern up close. He reached out and ran his fingers over the surface of the rocks, jerking back in surprise at the familiar tingle of magic coming from it.

Prompto was suddenly at his side. "What is it?" he asked, his voice tense.

"It's...a barrier," Noctis replied, brows furrowing in confusion. He pressed his hand more firmly against the rock, closing his eyes to help him focus.

"I suppose some people might call a rock wall a barrier," Prompto said slowly after a minute.

"No," the prince replied, shaking his head. "Sorry, it's a magic barrier. Kind of like the Wall around the Crown City, only not nearly as strong. This wasn't made using the Crystal," he explained, opening his eyes and pulling his hand from the rock. "It was made by a king of Lucis."

"So, your dad or someone put up a magic barrier in a random cave?" Prompto asked skeptically.

"Not my dad, but one of my ancestors, yeah."

"Why?"

Noctis shrugged. "Dunno. Wanna find out?"

"Um, I'm pretty sure they put the barrier there for a reason," Prompto argued, raising his hands in the air as he took a step back. "What if there's some huge daemon or something back there?"

"Not likely. This thing is positively ancient- we're taking centuries, maybe even _millennia_ old. If some sort of monster was sealed back there, it's long dead by now," he explained. "Besides, it's not very big- maybe a little larger than a double-doorway, I'd say. The perfect size for an entrance to a hidden room."

"And if something's worth locking up..." Prompto trailed off, staring at the wall speculatively.

"Exactly." Noctis grinned at the blond. "So, what say we crack this thing open and take a look around?"

Prompto was still a bit hesitant. "I don't know, Noct. It could be dangerous."

"Says the guy who used me as _bait_ to get a close-up of a catoblepas," Noctis retorted.

"I just wanted to make sure you were in the shot, buddy," Prompto replied, clapping the prince on the shoulder as he returned the grin. "Alright, let's do this- preferably before I change my mind!"

Noctis summoned a sword and thrust it deep into the wall. There was a sound similar to glass shattering, centuries worth of accumulated rock and dirt falling at his feet as the barrier crumbled. He coughed as he stepped back, waving a hand to clear the cloud of dust now hanging in the air.

"Noct! Prompto!" came the irritated bellow from across the lake. "What are you two doing all the way over there?"

Noctis turned back to see Gladio and Ignis both standing at the edge of the pier. Gladio had his arms folded across his chest and, although the prince couldn't see the larger man's face, he could tell Gladio was Not Happy. He took a few more seconds to try and clear his lungs before calling back a reply. "Just having a look around."

Noctis could practically feel Ignis' patented Disapproving Stare from across the lake. The advisor had one hand resting on his hip while the other moved up near his face, presumably to pinch the bridge of his nose beneath his glasses. It was clear from his body language that wasn't a good enough reason to wander off after dark without his bodyguards. "Noct-"

"It's a Royal Tomb!" Prompto exclaimed, inadvertently interrupting Ignis' lecture.

Noctis glanced back toward the rapidly clearing cloud of dust. A white door shone dully in the beams from their flashlights and although the loops and swirls carved in the stone was a bit different from the other tombs they'd visited, it was still clearly of Lucian design. The usual statue of the Oracle with robes splayed out around her that stood over the doors of the other tombs had been replaced with a solemn bust of the same, the hood hiding the features beneath it in darkness. A stone pillar stood on either side of the door, the ancient Lucian writing carved on one identifying the king whose resting place they had found.

"Hey Ignis, did Cor mention anything about a Royal Tomb in this area?" Noctis called.

"Not to me, though a number of tombs have been lost over the years," the advisor answered. "Perhaps this is one of them."

"Gotta admit, this is much better than the daemon I was expecting," Prompto commented, keeping his voice low even though it was unlikely either man on the pier would be able to hear him.

Ignis turned to Gladio, conferring briefly with the larger man before turning and heading back to camp. "Iggy's gonna start on dinner, since you don't seem to have caught any fish," Gladio called. "Get that Royal Arm and then get back to the haven- both of you."

"Will do!" Prompto called, offering a two-finger salute as Gladio turned and followed Ignis. "Well, that went better than I expected," he said, lowering his voice to a normal volume as he turned back to the door.

"It helps that we found a Royal Tomb over here, but I doubt that's the last we've heard of this," Noctis stated, shrugging. He stepped toward the door, pulling the key to the tombs from his pocket before stopping. "There's no keyhole..."

Prompto leaned forward, checking the door himself. "Well, it was hidden behind that barrier," he pointed out. "You said it was really old- maybe this guy died before they invented locks?"

"I highly doubt it's that old," Noctis argued. Planting his feet, he put his hands on the door and pushed. It slowly slid open with a low grumble of stone on stone and a surprisingly low level of resistance given its size.

"Did you just get really strong or is that more of your 'innate magic of the Lucian royal line' stuff?" Prompto asked.

"I don't know," Noctis panted, peering inside. "But I'm all for it if it means I don't have to call Gladio over to open a _door_ for me."

"True enough," Prompto agreed. "He'd probably make us _both_ join him for early morning training every day or something."

"Yeah." Noctis stepped inside, gazing around the interior of the tomb. The statues of kings past that usually lined the walls were missing, intricate designs chiseled across the stone in their place. The full sized statue of the Oracle standing across from the entrance was there, though it had not withstood the test of time. The head and one of the arms had broken off, the smashed pieces lying where they had fallen on the floor.

In the middle of the room was the familiar stone table with a statue of the king lying on it, his ashes stored in the gilded box above his head. The statue's hands were clasped around the handle of a sword, the likes of which Noctis hadn't seen before.

The blade was about seven inches wide at its base, gradually thinning to about four inches near the tip before sloping sharply to a point. A bit of metal stuck up about an inch on the back of the blade a bit past the widest part, serving as a guard. Below that, a hole had been cut out of the middle of the blade, allowing the wielder to grip the metal itself in place of a more traditional hilt. The entire thing was made of a dark metal which glinted dully in the light from the flashlight.

Noctis shivered as a sudden chill ran down his spine, rubbing the goose bumps that sprang up all over his arms. The feeling of something being wrong had intensified once he'd stepped inside the tomb, making the hair on the back of his neck rise. It almost felt like some sort of monster _had_ been sealed in here for whatever reason, though he saw nothing to indicate that was the case. Not wanting to spend any more time in here than absolutely necessary, he decided to just grab the Royal Arm and go.

Noctis stretched forth his hand, calling upon the power of kings within him to bind his ancestor's soul and power to his own. The sword reacted, glowing brightly as it rose into the air, shimmering between incorporeal and physical forms as the bond was completed.

Noctis gasped as the bond was made, a feeling of dread washing over him. He had gained nine other Royal Arms in his armiger, bonded with the souls of nine of his ancestors over the past few months. Every time he felt it burn within him, almost like a fire that couldn't be quenched. This time it was colder than ice.

He glanced up at the sword hovering almost serenely over the king's statue, expecting to see the weapon shining with the familiar blue-white luminescence. What met his eyes instead was a dark red glow, casting the interior of the tomb in an ominous light. Before he could even think of how to _undo_ the binding- or if such a thing were even possible -the sword swung down in an arc, entering his chest and absorbing into his body in a burst of crystalline shards.

Prompto stayed outside as Noctis entered the tomb. As impressive as the whole 'power of kings' thing was, he didn't mind admitting that it kind of freaked him out basically watching his friend get stabbed by whatever weapon his ancestor had left behind. Yes, he knew gaining the Royal Arms didn't actually hurt Noctis, but that didn't stop him from itching to pull the prince out of the way whenever another glowing weapon shot towards his chest.

Glancing around the exterior of the tomb for something to distract himself with, his eyes fell on the plaque. The past kings of Lucis didn't seem to be big on names. All the tombs they'd found listed the late king's most prominent characteristic. So far they'd come across the tomb of the wise, the pious, the clever... He idly wondered what happened if they had two king's with the same defining traits. Was that what happened to whoever was buried in the tomb of the tall?

Shaking off his rambling musings, he moved closer to the plague, curious to see what this guy was most known for. To his surprise, the plague seemed to have been altered, the original text literally gouged out of the wall. The graffitist had tried to chisel something else beneath it, though he- or she, he supposed -clearly wasn't skilled in working with stone.

It took Prompto a bit to work out the crude letters, guessing at the ones that were illegible. Benaray? Beronye? No, that was definitely an 'a'... Bemayan?

Prompto rubbed his eye, cursing softly at a bit of dust that was irritating his contact lens. He glanced at the plaque again, the slight blurriness of his vision suddenly making the word pop out at him. He blinked. That couldn't be right, could it? The tomb of the betrayer?

A soft gasp from inside the tomb pushed the plaque from his mind. Stepping back over to the doorway, he glanced toward his friend. Noctis was standing in front of the king's statue, the last glowing shards fading away to nothing around him. He was shivering.

"Hey are you okay?" Prompto asked, stepping forward and hesitantly reaching out a hand. "Noct?"

The prince didn't seem to hear him, swaying slightly where he stood before his eyes rolled up and he collapsed bonelessly to the ground.

"NOCT!"

 **To Be Continued**

If you wish for a response to your review, please sign in before hand.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Prompto jumped forward, grabbing his friend as he fell. The prince's dead weight pulled the blond down with him, but at least the gunman was able to keep Noctis from bashing his head against the table or the floor. "Alright, not okay then," Prompto breathed, glancing around the tomb with slightly wild eyes.

It looked a bit different from what he was used to seeing inside the royal tombs, but there was nothing to indicate why the prince had suddenly passed out. Taking a deep and slightly shaky breath, Prompto shifted Noctis fully to the ground so he was lying on his back. "C'mon man, don't do this to me- you know I'm no good under pressure," he joked weakly, shaking the prince's shoulder a bit frantically. Noct's head lolled back and forth with the movement, but he didn't stir.

"Okay, okay, keep it together Prompto. Just gotta remember your first aid training," he muttered, glancing up and down his friend's still form. "No blood- that's a good thing, right? Yeah, okay. Next, um...breathing!" He held his hand near the prince's mouth, ignoring how his fingers trembled. It was a second or two before felt a steady exhalation and he released the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "Okay, good- breathing's good, though I probably should have checked that first."

Prompto ran a hand through his hair, trying to remember what else he'd learned. "Let's see, uh, I'll need to brace his neck before I move him- no, that's just for spinal injuries," he muttered, shaking his head. "Um, roll him onto his side in case of vomiting- no, wait, that's drowning. Gah! Why am I so _bad_ at this?" he lamented, dropping his head and clutching at his hair in frustration. "I bet Iggy would-" Prompto's head popped up, suddenly remembering his other two companions. "Ignis! Gladio!" he screamed, leaping to his feet and running to the doorway. "There's something wrong with Noct!"

It didn't take long for the older men to reach the tomb. Gladio entered first, his longer stride allowing him to outpace Ignis, though not by much. His eyes narrowed when they landed on Noctis before sweeping the room for threats, his hand tightening on the hilt of his greatsword.

Ignis followed after, his features carefully schooled in a blank mask. He didn't seem surprised to see the prince unconscious on the floor. "I thought so," he murmured, pulling off his gloves as he moved to Noct's side and began examining him.

"What?" Prompto asked, kneeling opposite the advisor. "What do you mean? Do you know what's wrong?" he asked, his voice an odd mixture of fear and hope.

Ignis simply shook his head, keeping his attention focused on the prince. "What happened?" he asked.

"I don't know," Prompto said, shaking his head. "He just collapsed."

"Details, Prompto," Gladio stated, pacing the perimeter of the room to make sure he hadn't missed anything. "Was there even a Royal Arm in here?" he asked, glancing at the statue on the table whose hands were clutching nothing but air.

"I...I think so?" Prompto guessed. He shrugged helplessly, spreading his hands wide. "I didn't actually come in until afterward," he offered apologetically.

"You didn't even-" Gladio cut himself off, shaking his head. "Why not?" he asked instead.

Prompto fidgeted a bit uncomfortably. "I...don't like to watch," he admitted quietly after a moment.

Gladio snorted. He could understand where Prompto was coming from. Having been training to be the King's Shield since he was a child, it went against every single one of his ingrained instincts to sit back and watch Noctis be impaled by the Royal Arms. On the other hand, doing his duty meant stepping out of his comfort zone without hesitation. And now Noctis was lying unconscious on the floor because he'd left that duty to someone else.

Reaching the doorway as he completed the circuit, he stepped back outside, making sure no daemons had snuck up on them in the meantime. He blinked when he turned back to the entrance, noticing details that couldn't be seen from across the lake and that had been ignored when they ran over. Scowling, he re-entered the tomb, his eyes landing on Prompto. "Every other tomb we've come across was virtually identical- inside and out," he stated, his voice hard. "Did it ever occur to you that the differences might mean this one was a _trap_ meant for the king of Lucis?"

Prompto blinked, eyes wide. "No, I didn't- I mean, I hadn't-" he floundered, glancing frantically between Shield and prince. "But, Noct said that the barrier was _made_ by a Lucian king!"

"Barrier?" Gladio asked in surprise, simply staring at the blond before the anger kicked back in. "You two broke through a _barrier_ to get in here?" he demanded.

"That is enough, Gladio," Ignis interrupted, his voice sharp as he used his flashlight to check the prince's pupil response. "I know you're worried about Noct, but laying blame will avail us little at this juncture."

Gladio exhaled noisily and turned away, knowing the advisor was right. "Sorry."

"Do you know what's wrong with him?" Prompto asked again.

Ignis shook his head as he ran his finger's through Noct's hair, checking his scalp for any bumps or blood. "He does not seem to have sustained any injures that I can find. Perhaps it is an airborne toxin, but I suspect you would have fallen prey to it by now as well if that were the case." He sighed as he sat back, resting his fingers against Noct's cheek before moving his hand to the prince's forehead. "Regardless, this cold floor is doing him no favors. Prompto, why don't you go set up his highness' bedroll," Ignis instructed.

"On it," Prompto said, visibly relieved to have something to do as he ran back to camp.

"Would you mind carrying Noct?" Ignis asked, turning to Gladio.

"Yeah, sure," Gladio agreed, releasing the greatsword as he dismissed it. He jumped in surprise when, instead of disappearing, the heavy weapon clattered loudly on the floor.

"I'll carry that for you," Ignis offered with a wan smile, moving over and picking up the blade. "It is fortunate for us you were cleaning it when this happened."

Gladio blinked at the greatsword in confusion. Understanding dawned as his eyes slid to Noctis, unconscious on the floor. "Yeah, it is," he answered quietly, moving to pick up the prince.

It didn't take long to get Noctis settled in the tent, Gladio removing his jacket and boots while Ignis added an extra blanket to help warm him up. "I'm afraid there's not much more we can do for him here. Gladio, would you mind keeping an eye on him?" Ignis asked once they had made the prince comfortable. "We may be able to tell more once symptoms start to present, but until then..."

"Gotcha," the brunet said with a nod. He waited until the others had vacated the tent before sitting cross-legged in the entrance, keeping his eyes on Noctis while being close enough to listen to the conversation outside.

Ignis moved to one of the camping chairs that had been set up around the fire. "Prompto, why don't you tell me _exactly_ what happened, from the beginning," he instructed, interlacing his fingers as he gave the blond his full attention.

Prompto nodded as he took his usual seat. "Well, after we finished setting up the camp, I went to see if Noct had managed to catch any fish," he began, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "The line had just snapped and Noct seemed pretty miffed about it- said he kept getting distracted by the wall across the lake."

"Did he mention what exactly was so distracting about it?" Ignis interrupted leaning forward slightly. "Anything in particular that kept drawing his attention?"

Prompto shook his head. "When I asked, he just said he didn't know, but he wanted to go check it out. So we went over to have a look."

Gladio grumbled something beneath his breath but the words were too quiet for either of the other men to hear.

"The wall looked pretty normal to me, but Noct said there was a barrier- like the Wall around the Crown City only it wasn't made with the Crystal. He also said it was really old, like several centuries old, at least," Prompto continued. "So we decided to take a look. Noct broke the barrier and we found the tomb."

"And after Noct entered?" Ignis prompted.

The blond looked away, biting his lip as Gladio's accusations rang through his mind. "I stayed outside. I mean, there were some differences, but the door wasn't locked and Noct said the barrier was put up by a Lucian king and if it really had been there for almost a _millennia_ , surely not everything's going to look the same and-" He knew he was babbling but couldn't seem to stop, the words coming faster and faster until it was almost one continuous stream.

"Slow down," Ignis interrupted, holding up a hand, "and take a deep breath." He waited until the blond had done so before continuing. "We're not laying blame," he stated firmly, the words directed just as much to Gladio as to Prompto, though he kept his steady gaze on the gunman. "So, Noct went in while you stayed out. What happened then?"

Prompto shrugged helplessly. "I thought I heard something, so I went inside. Noct was just standing there. He didn't respond when I called his name. Then he just collapsed."

"What did you hear exactly?" Ignis pressed.

"Um, kind of like a gasp of breath, I guess? Like-" Prompto inhaled sharply, demonstrating.

Ignis nodded. "Anything else?"

Prompto shook his head. "Then I called you and Gladio over- you know, after I made sure Noct was still breathing and stuff."

The three men were silent for a long moment before Gladio spoke up. "Well?" he asked, his dark gaze sliding to Ignis. "Any idea what might've happened?"

The advisor shook his head. "None, I'm afraid," he answered, pulling his eyes from the flames to the Shield. "It does sound as if foul play were involved, but if the barrier is really several centuries old... And you said earlier it was created by a king of Lucis, correct?" he asked, turning his attention back to Prompto.

The gunman nodded. "According to Noct, yeah."

"I cannot fathom why a king would deliberately sabotage his descendant," Ignis said, returning his pensive gaze to the fire.

"Um, I don't know if it helps, but..." Prompto spoke up hesitantly. "You know how they name the tombs? Well, I'm pretty sure this one is called the Tomb of the Betrayer." He shrank back slightly into his chair as both men's gazes snapped back to him. "I mean, that's not what it was originally- that's been gouged from the stone and 'betrayer' was chiseled underneath. At least, I _think_ it says 'betrayer.' It's kinda hard to read..."

"A Lucian king branded a betrayer," Gladio murmured pensively, turning his eyes back to his charge. "You'd think they'd have mentioned _that_ in the history books."

"Hm, not necessarily," Ignis mused. "Age may account for the differences between this tomb and the others we've come across thus far. There are enough similarities that suggest he was given a royal burial- including the rite by which his chosen weapon in life could be changed into a Royal Arm to be wielded by his descendant." He took off his glasses, pulling a cloth from his pocket and cleaning the lens. "I doubt one labeled a 'betrayer' would be treated such after his death."

"So someone else must have changed it after the fact," Gladio stated, following the advisor's train of thought. "They could have done something to the Royal Arm when they did."

Ignis hummed thoughtfully. "It is my understanding the weapons are merely that until claimed by a Lucian king. I believe the bonding of souls is what changes it into a Royal Arm. Someone would have to have intimate knowledge of the rite and soul bonding to be able to lay a trap like that," he pointed out. "Which brings us back to a Lucian king of yore, purposefully sabotaging his descendant. But if that is indeed the case, why place the barrier at all?"

"Maybe there was more than one?" Gladio suggested. "Realizing someone had sabotaged it, a different king could have put up the barrier to keep his descendants from finding the tomb- for all the good that did," he said, muttering the last part.

Though Gladio had done a good job of keeping the accusation from his tone, Prompto still shrunk a little deeper into his chair.

"Perhaps," Ignis conceded, sliding his glasses back into place. "Though I personally think melting down the blade or casting it into a cement block would have been the safer course of action." He sighed again, crossing his arms over his chest. "That is, of course, assuming that 1) there was a Royal Arm at all and 2) it is what was sabotaged."

"I think there was a Royal Arm in there," Prompto added hesitantly. "I'm pretty sure I saw some of those sparkly-crystal-things disappearing when I went in- you know, those things that kind of explode out around Noct when he gets new weapon? Or, what our weapons turn into when we dismiss them, I guess," he added pensively.

Ignis just stared at the blond for several heartbeats. "You are referring to the visual representation of Noct's power when a weapon is dematerialized?" he asked, his voice deadpan.

"Yeah- that," Prompto agreed, nodding. "It sounds so much _cooler_ when you say it."

"Probably because he doesn't use 'sparkly-crystal-thing' anywhere in the description," Gladio muttered, rolling his eyes.

"So you saw this when you entered the tomb, just before Noctis collapsed?" Ignis clarified.

Prompto nodded.

"It certainly does sound as if the Royal Arm itself may have been tampered with," the advisor admitted, leaning back with a sigh. "If that does indeed turn out to be the case, the question then is how are we supposed to aid Noct against the power of kings?"

 **-LINE BREAK-**

Noctis rose slowly from the depths of slumber, something damp and cold nudging his cheek as sunlight shone through the open curtains, falling directly across his face. Frowning at the annoyance, he rolled over and burrowed deeper into his blanket, breathing in the familiar scent of his soft pillow as he sighed contentedly.

There was an odd noise, sort a cross between a yelp and a squeak, followed by something small- a cat, maybe? -walking across Noct's pillow before the cold object was pressed against his cheek again. Not wanting to deal with whatever animal Prompto had smuggled in _this_ time, the prince pulled the blanket over his head, rolling away from the creature once more and onto his back.

A disgruntled squeak- chirp? -was the only warning he got before something _heavy_ landed on his stomach. Noctis jerked up as the air was forcefully expelled from his lungs, all but ripping the blanket off his face to see what nefarious creature was about to meet its demise at his hand. He froze when he got a good look at it, still too tired to be properly shocked but awake enough to know that it shouldn't be here.

It was a small pure white fox with large ears, the tips of which easily reached the base of its fluffy tail. A thin ruby red horn protruded from its forehead, though the rough texture made it look more like an uncut but polished gemstone. Chocolate brown eyes shone with intelligence and just a bit of humor as they studied the prince. Its tail twitched forward to curl around its front paws and though it didn't look it from that angle, Noctis knew the tail was almost half again the length of its entire body.

"It's you," Noctis breathed, trying to figure out what Carbuncle was doing in his room.

The fox chirped again, lightly hopping off the bed and moving to the nightstand. A silver phone was lying next to the lamp, the light flashing at the top indicating there was a new message.

Noctis slowly sat up, gazing at the phone warily. It wasn't his, but he knew he had seen it before. Almost hesitantly he picked up the phone, the screen lighting up as he turned it over. The message was already open.

/Come on! It's just like last time. Do you remember?/

Noctis couldn't help but stare at the phone for several long seconds, his mind going back to the surreal dream he'd had before waking from his coma when he was eight. "But, that was just a dream," he murmured, turning his gaze to the fox standing at the side of his bed.

The fox chirped once more, standing on his hind legs and resting his paws on the rumpled sheets. The phone beeped, drawing Noct's attention back to it.

/Just because it was a dream doesn't mean it didn't happen./

Noctis snorted. "Isn't that pretty much the basic definition of a dream?" he asked. "Something imagined and not real?"

Carbuncle gave his best impression of a shrug, squeaking again. /It may have taken place in your mind instead of the waking world, but your struggle to wake up last time was just as real as the power of kings passed down through your bloodline./

"So, that basically means this is a dream and I have to defeat whatever daemon is keeping me from waking up?" Noctis asked a bit skeptically. "Again?"

/Yep!/

The prince shook his head. "Last time I was nearly killed by a marilith. The daemons we've been fighting lately haven't given me more than a few superficial cuts." He yawned widely, covering his mouth with one hand before continuing. "Not exactly something that would land me in a coma."

The fox cocked his head to the side. The phone beeped. /What's the very last thing you remember?/

Noctis blinked at the odd question. "I found a Royal Arm."

/And where were you?/

He shrugged, rubbing his eye. "In a cave."

The fox watched him carefully for several long seconds before shaking his head with a chitter that could have been a laugh. /Maybe I should have let you sleep a bit longer. I don't remember you being this slow on the uptake last time./

Noctis scowled at the phone before shifting his glare to the canine. "What's that supposed to mean?"

/If the last thing you remember is being in a cave, why are you currently in your apartment in the Crown City?/

The prince stared at the phone for several heartbeats before his eyes slowly rose to take in his surroundings. He was sitting in his bed, the navy blue sheets he'd picked out when he moved in pooling at his waste. The bookshelf on the opposite wall was lined with comic books, video games and random knickknacks, the disorganized mess a familiar sight. He could see the living room and kitchen through the open door- the corner couch, table and kitchen island just as he remembered. And, visible in the distance through the wall of windows, stood the Citadel itself. Even the Wall surrounding the city was visible, shimmering in the bright sunlight.

Noct's heart clenched at the painfully familiar sight, suddenly finding it harder to breathe. He tore his eyes away from the view, focusing on the phone in his hand as he took one deep breath after another. "This really is a dream," he whispered at last, forcing the words past the lump in his throat.

The fox whined softly, hopping back up on the bed. /Yes. It is a world created from your memories./ Carbuncle leaned against the prince's side, his tail wrapping around Noct's back. /Even in your mind, you don't like to imagine what the city must look like now that it has fallen to the Empire./

"How...?" His voice caught on the word and he cleared his throat, trying to bring his emotions under control. "How did this happen?"

/The Accursed altered the weapon in the tomb, cursing whoever claimed it with the scourge./

"The scourge?" Noctis repeated, wide eyes shifting from the phone to the fox at his side. "Does that mean I've been infected again?"

The fox nodded. /It's a little different than last time, though. The marilith meant to kill you, not infect you. Inflicting the scourge on you then was an accident. Also, your age and inexperience made you unable to get rid of it on your own- though you managed to escape the dream world, you still had to travel to Tenebrae to be healed by the oracle./

"I don't understand," Noctis said, shaking his head. "I thought only the oracle could heal the scourge?"

/In the general populace, yes./ Carbuncle moved away from Noct's side, sitting a little in front of him so they were facing each other. /The line of Lucis has been charged with protecting the Crystal. To do so, they must needs have a way to protect themselves from the scourge./

"And how do I do that, exactly?"

/The Royal Arms you've been collecting- they are weapons of light, designed with the soul purpose of driving back the darkness./

"I suppose that makes sense," Noctis murmured, shifting slightly and prompting Carbuncle to hop off the bed before swinging his legs over the side. He paused as another occurred to him. Even after his injuries from the marilith had healed, the scourge had kept him confined to a wheelchair. "Am I..." He swallowed against the sudden dryness in his throat. "When I wake up...will I still be able to walk?"

Carbuncle chirped, scratching a persistent itch behind his ear. /With no existing wounds to seep into, the affect on your body should be minimal./ The fox hesitated, cocking his head to the side pensively. /Then again, you basically bonded a daemon to your _soul_. If you don't destroy that link, you may not wake up at all./

"There's a cheery thought," Noctis muttered, pushing himself to his feet. He blinked as his pjs shimmered briefly, shifting to the black outfit he'd been wearing back in the real world. He shrugged, brushing it aside for now. He had bigger problems to deal with. "So how do I get out of here?" he asked as he exited the room, though he was careful to keep his gaze from the windows. "Do you know where the first portal is?"

The fox trotted along at his heels, easily keeping pace as they left the apartment and entered an elevator. /That depends on you. This world was designed to keep you from wanting to leave- to allow you to remain in your past so you don't have to face the harsh reality of the present./

"Does that mean...all the people are back, as well?" Noctis asked hesitantly.

Carbuncle rubbed against his leg sympathetically, whining softly. /No. Daemons don't understand the bonds humans share with those they love. Your father's not here./

Noctis nodded, staring at the wall as the elevator continued down to the lobby. Even if it was all in his head, he would have dearly loved seeing his father one last time- to tell him everything he _should_ have said when he left for Altissia.

He shook off those thoughts as the elevator doors opened in the lobby, focusing instead on the task at hand. "Alright, so how do we find this portal?" he asked.

/It will be in the place you're least likely to search for it. If you decided to stay, where is the one place you'd never go?/

Noctis stopped walking, blinking down at the fox. "You're kidding, right?" he asked. "Insomnia is an _enormous_ city- I can't even _begin_ to count the number of places I'd never go simply because I've never _been_ there in the first place!"

Carbuncle shook his head. /This is more personal than that. You will have been there before, probably multiple times. Can you think of anywhere you avoid going whenever you can?/

One place in particular came to Noct's mind immediately. He'd always had a strong aversion the room as a child and that prejudice had carried over into adulthood. The vaulted ceiling, the raised dais with a curved staircase on either side that led to an imposing throne looking down on the entire room... Though he rarely had occasion to go inside, he could clearly picture every detail of that hated room. Even now, he was loath to return there. He sighed, realizing that probably meant the portal was all but guaranteed to be inside. "Let's head to the Citadel."

 **To Be Continued**

If you want a reply to your review, please sign in.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

It was a restless night at the haven. Though Ignis, Gladio and Prompto had taken shifts watching over Noctis throughout the night, sleep did not come easily for any of the men.

Ignis' phone started ringing right at four am, waking the advisor from a light doze. He laid there for several long seconds, trying to muster up the energy to turn it off. He still hadn't quite managed to even open his eyes when the ringtone changed, becoming a bit louder and more insistent. Sighing, Ignis had just about freed his arm from his blanket when the noise cut of abruptly. He squinted one eye open, blinking a couple times before he was able to make out Gladio's blurry form looming over him.

"Sorry, Iggy, but the kid just stopped tossing and turning about an hour ago," the Shield whispered, nodding toward the blond on Ignis' other side. "I'd like to let him sleep a little longer."

Ignis nodded, stretching before heaving himself to a sitting position. He tried to rub the grit out of his tired eyes with one hand, feeling around for his glasses with the other. "Any change in Noct's condition?" he asked, keeping his voice low.

"None," Gladio answered, pressing the glasses into Ignis' wandering hand. "He's still a little cool despite the extra blankets, but other than that..." He let the sentence trail off, shrugging. "If it weren't for the fact that we can't wake him up, I'd swear he was just asleep."

Frowning, Ignis crawled over to the prince, resting his hand against Noct's cheek. As Gladio had said, the skin was a bit cool to the touch though not worryingly so. He sat back, covering a yawn with one hand as he rummaged through his bag for a fresh set of clothes. "I'll get started on re-heating breakfast- there should be enough leftovers from last night to suffice. In the meantime, would you mind packing any essentials you can think of? I'd like to head out as soon as possible and it may be some time before we are able to retrieve anything left behind."

Gladio nodded, grabbing his bag and emptying out the contents as Ignis began getting dressed. He packed a spare change of clothes for everyone, water bottles, bandages, disinfectant, two blankets, a coil of rope, the flint and steel he used for the fire and whatever toiletries he could find, before doing a quick walk through the campsite to see if anything else caught his eye.

Ignis covered a yawn with one hand as he lit the camping stove. Shaking his head, he let his eyelids stay at half-mast as he stared blearily down at the half-filled pot of leftovers. Devilfin soup didn't sound all that appetizing for breakfast, but he supposed it was better than nothing at all.

Within twenty minutes, all three men were sitting around the cold fire pit, quietly eating their soup. Prompto looked as tired as Ignis felt, eyes barely open as he stared unseeingly down at the bowl on his lap. He looked like he was about to doze off at any moment.

"Come on, Prompto, wake up," Gladio said, reaching over and shaking the blond's shoulder as he listed too far to one side. "Nap time's over- it's breakfast time now."

"Nap is right," Prompto muttered, yawning widely. "Is it waaay too early to be awake."

Gladio chuckled, earning a baleful glare from the gunman. "Why are _you_ so chipper, anyway?" Prompto demanded petulantly.

"I've never seen anyone who had a harder time waking up than Noct," the brunet replied. "But even _he'd_ have been halfway through breakfast by now."

The previous levity was lost at the reminder of their ailing friend. Prompto dropped his gaze back down to his soup, watching the steam curling lazily in the air. "How's he doing?" he asked quietly.

"There's been no change," Ignis answered, finishing off his bowl and moving to start on cleanup.

"But, at least he's not getting worse- right?" Prompto asked.

"Not getting better, either," Gladio pointed out, draining the last of his bowl before handing it to Ignis and heading back into the tent.

"Either way, there's nothing we can do for him here," Ignis stated, using water from the lake to clean the dishes so as to not deplete their own reserves. "With that in mind, I'd like to head out as soon as possible."

Prompto got the hint, digging into his breakfast with renewed fervor.

Finishing his task, Ignis looked over his collection of cooking knives with a critical eye before selecting a long carving knife and a chef's knife of similar length with a wider blade. He hefted them in his hands, getting a feel for the weight before moving through a few basic forms. They were both lighter and shorter than his daggers, but would serve him well enough against any monsters they met on their way back to Taelpar.

"Um, Iggy?" Prompto asked hesitantly. "What are you doing?"

"Arming myself for the trip," the advisor replied, carefully sliding the blades through his belt.

"Uh, why not just use your daggers?" Prompto continued, sounding confused.

"They are inaccessible at present."

"What? How's that even possible?"

Ignis stopped what he was doing, studying the blond for a moment. As he recalled, Prompto's induction into the Crownsguard had been a hurried and last minute affair, having to do more with the prince's desire for his friend to accompany him to Altissia than to any outstanding skills in combat. It was possible explanations about the abilities afforded him by his new rank were lost in the shuffle. "Do you remember the ceremony when you were initiated a member of the Crownsguard?" he asked.

Prompto blinked. "Sort of," he said, shrugging. "Most of it's kind of a blur."

"Do you recall Noctis placing his hand on your shoulder and saying something...odd?" Ignis couldn't recall the exact words when he hand undergone the ceremony, but they hadn't made any sense and he remembered how uncomfortable the prince had been saying something so ridiculous.

"Uh..." Prompto tilted his head back, trying to remember. "Noct clapped me on the shoulder afterward and mumbled something, but Cor sent me for training before I could ask him about it."

Ignis chuckled, not really surprised Noctis had found a way around the embarrassment. "It's an old ritual, by which one of royal blood can share part of his power with those in his personal guard," he explained. "The magic which is his birthright affords Noctis access to a pocket dimension, if you will, in which he can store any number of items he chooses. Initially it was just weapons, but after the Regalia broke down the first time, he put all our camping gear and the majority of our supplies in there as well."

Prompto, who'd been present for that part, nodded.

"As members of his personal Crownsguard, he has lent us the ability to access this storage space ourselves," Ignis continued. "Unfortunately, when Noctis is incapacitated, so is this ability."

"Are you saying we have to carry all of _this_ with us?" the blond asked, gesturing around the campsite.

"No, we'll be leaving the majority of it here," Ignis said, shaking his head. "However, this also means that I cannot retrieve my daggers... Nor you, your gun."

Prompto blinked, having just made the connection. "Oh, man..." he breathed, realizing he was going to be completely defenseless against whatever monsters they ran into.

"Do not worry- Gladio and I will take care of any creatures we come across on the way out," Ignis assured him. He hesitated a moment before continuing against his better judgment. "If you'd like, I could lend you a knife...?"

Prompto immediately shook his head. He was pretty clumsy on a good day and using a sharp blade made him nervous, which only made it worse. The sword part of his training had been exceptionally brief and he wasn't sure who was more relieved when it was over- him or his instructor. "No thanks- I'll leave the monster-slaying to you guys," he said, moving toward the lake to rinse out his bowl.

Gladio exited the tent, dropping a duffel bag next to one of the chairs with a heavy _thump_ and leaning his greatsword against it. "Noct's ready to go," he informed the others. "And there's still a little room in the bag for anything you can't stand to leave behind."

Prompto nodded, doing a double take at the greatsword leaning against the chair. "Hey, how'd you get that?" he asked, surprised. "Ignis said it wasn't working."

Gladio blinked, following the blond's pointing finger to his weapon. "I was cleaning the blade when this happened," he explained with a shrug. "Luckily for us."

Prompto nodded, suddenly feeling a lot better about their chances of making it out of the cave alive.

"Looks like we're ready to go," Ignis noted, taking charge. "Let's move."

After determining their marching order they headed out, Ignis taking the lead and keeping both knives at the ready as he kept an eye out for any monsters lurking in the dark. Gladio followed twenty to thirty feet behind, carrying Noctis on his back. Prompto was right behind him, the duffel bag slung over his shoulder and the greatsword in his arms.

It didn't take long to work out a system for when they ran across daemons in the tunnels. Ignis would signal the others, providing a distraction while Gladio set Noctis down and retrieved his greatsword. Prompto stayed at Noct's side, alerting the others before any monsters who were able to sneak past them reached the defenseless prince.

The system worked rather well and though they weren't traveling at a fast pace, the small groups of daemons they'd run into were handled with relative ease, considering they were down two fighters. They didn't run into their first major problem until later that morning.

"Well? What're we gonna do about this?" Gladio asked, gesturing to the wall they'd have to scale to continue down the path they'd been traveling. The wall was only twelve or so feet high and was pretty rough with plenty of handholds and footholds. "It looks easy enough to climb, but..." He trailed off, casting a look toward the prince currently slumped over Ignis' back. "Should we backtrack and try to find another way?"

Ignis, who'd been switching with Gladio periodically throughout the day, moved to set Noctis down near the wall. Prompto jumped forward, helping ease the prince to the floor. Once freed from his burden, the advisor rolled his shoulders, loosening up the muscles. "If memory serves, this wall is very near the cave's exit," he stated, pulling out his phone and checking the time. "We've been walking for almost five hours. Backtracking and trying to find another way out at this juncture is not my preferred course of action."

"Well, I wouldn't want to try climbing up this carrying someone else," the Shield stated, looking over the wall with a critical eye. "Maybe if we had some rope or something, but-" He broke off mid-word as a realization struck him. "Prompto, lemme see that bag."

Prompto blinked at the sudden demand. "Uh, sure," he said, handing it over.

Gladio took it, rummaging around inside it for a few seconds before pulling out a coil of rope. "Good thing I grabbed this," he said, holding it up.

"Indeed," Ignis agreed, nodding. "How would you suggest we go about this?"

"The best way would be to tie one end around Noct and have someone on the ledge pull him up," Gladio said, eyeing the rope. "If it's long enough, that is. I'll go check."

Sliding his arm through the coil, Gladio started scaling the wall. It didn't take him more than a few minutes to make it up and, once he had, he turned and dropped the rope over the edge, keeping a firm grip on one end. It stopped a couple of feet above the ground. Gladio knelt down, giving them a bit more slack while still keeping enough leverage to allow him to pull Noctis up.

Ignis and Prompto moved Noctis toward the rope, the latter supporting the prince's dead weight while the former ran the rope around Noct's chest and under his arms. "Any way in particular I should tie this?" Ignis called up to Gladio.

"Yeah- so it doesn't come loose."

The advisor rolled his eyes at the obvious statement. "Knots are your forte- not mine," he reminded the Shield.

"I'll walk you through it."

Several minutes later, Ignis finished tying off the knot as per Gladio's instructions, eyeing the whole thing a bit skeptically. "Are you sure this will hold?" he asked, raising his voice.

"It should, if you did it right," the brunet answered.

"Let us hope that I did," Ignis muttered. "Go ahead and give it a try," he called up.

Gladio shifted slightly, bracing himself and heaving on the line. The knot held and Noctis slid a few inches up the wall.

"It looks good from down here. I'll climb up and help you," Ignis called, starting up the wall. "Prompto, would you mind climbing along side Noct in case his clothing gets caught on anything?"

"Sure," the blond agreed, nodding.

It was slow going, pulling the prince up a few inches at a time. His clothing didn't catch too often, although it required a bit of creative climbing on Prompto's part when it did. Ignis and Gladio were both panting with the exertion, grateful for the gloves that kept the rope from rubbing their hands raw.

"Almost...there..." Gladio grunted, pulling on the rope in time with Ignis. The advisor nodded but didn't reply, opting to save his breath.

Noct was only a few feet from the top when Prompto noticed a problem with the rope. "The knot's slipping!" he cried frantically.

"Ignis, hold him!" Gladio yelled, barely giving the advisor enough time to brace himself before releasing the rope. He threw himself down on his stomach, reaching for the prince. His fingers could just barely brush Noct's hair. "Gimme his arm!"

Prompto hurried to comply, lifting the limb up into Gladio's reach. The brunet grasped Noct's forearm as the knot slipped, the sudden dead weight threatening to pull him over the edge.

Abandoning the lax rope, Ignis immediately moved to help Gladio while Prompto climbed underneath Noctis, doing his best to push while the other two pulled. With their combined effort it wasn't long before the prince was pulled up onto the ledge, Gladio moving him away from the edge while Ignis helped Prompto up.

Once Noct was a safe distance away Gladio sat down heavily on the ground, resting his arms on his raised knees as he just focused on breathing. Ignis and Prompto stumbled over, wearily collapsing next to him as they both panted for breath.

"So glad _that's_ over," Prompto breathed as he flopped onto his back, chest heaving.

Gladio grunted. "I don't think you tied that knot right," he said, too drained to add any inflection to his voice.

"I'd say the result speaks for itself, though I'd like to point out I followed _your_ instructions precisely," the advisor returned wearily.

"Clearly not- otherwise it would have held."

Ignis sighed, too tired to argue. "In future, I shall happily leave any knot-tying to you."

They rested for several minutes, regaining their strength. Ignis was about to suggest getting a move on when he realized something was missing. "It seems we have left our supplies down below," he informed the others.

Prompto groaned, dropping an arm across his eyes. "I already reached my limit for time spent clinging to a wall today," he whined, still lying on the ground. "I vote someone else go and get it."

"I'll arm wrestle you for it," Gladio offered, grinning down at the blond.

"Against those logs you call arms?" Prompto asked, moving his arm to glare up at the brunet. "No thanks."

"C'mon, they feel like jelly right now," Gladio cajoled. "You might even stand a chance."

"I'll go," Ignis sighed, pushing himself to his feet and moving toward the wall. "It's like dealing with children sometimes," he muttered, carefully easing himself over the edge.

"You can tie the bag and my greatsword onto the rope and we'll pull it up," the Shield called after him. "Assuming the knot holds this time," he added with a grin. "I can put a slip knot in the end for you before I lower it down if you want."

Ignis paused in his descent, raising an eyebrow at the brunet. Though it would have been bad had Gladio not managed to catch the prince, Ignis readily admitted he knew nothing about knots. And, as he had followed the Shield's directions to the letter, he did not feel solely responsible for the mishap. "You may as well rest up a bit more while you can," he informed the brunet primly. "When we continue, it's your turn to carry Noct."

Gladio chuckled, offering the advisor a cheeky two finger salute as he disappeared from view.

 **-LINE BREAK-**

It was difficult for Noctis to track time in the dream, but it felt like they'd been walking for hours before the gates to the Citadel finally came into view. He couldn't help sighing at the thought of finally getting out of here. The silence, while something he was growing accustomed to out in the wild, was unsettling inside the Crown City.

Everything was just as he remembered it: the displays of merchandise in department store windows, the flashing advertisements on the billboards, the convenience stores on just about every corner... The only thing missing was any sign of life.

The wide city streets were deserted, the normally crowded sidewalks completely devoid of people. Cars were parked here and there along the curb and in parking lots, but not a single one was on the road. No pigeons landed on the signs or lampposts lining the streets. No cats scavenged through the trash bins in the alleyways, looking for their next meal. An eerie silence shrouded the city that never slept.

The gates opened on silent hinges, granting access to the Citadel. A long bridge stretched past the guardhouse, ending at a decorative fountain in the middle of a roundabout at the palace's steps. The Citadel itself loomed tall and imposing, separating into four towers around a central spire after the first fourteen floors.

Homesickness warred with an overwhelming sense of loss as Noctis gazed up at his childhood home. Every detail was just as he remembered it when he'd left for Altissia all those weeks ago. The glimmering black tiles of the fountain, the statues standing tall in between the three sets of doors at the top of the stairs, the light from the Crystal shining from the top of the spire... He could almost see his father, standing at the top of the steps as he said his final goodbyes, knowing that would be the last he'd see of his son in this life.

At the same time, the entire thing seemed...off somehow. Similar to a forged painting, this was merely a copy of the original- a close replica missing those finer details that defined the genuine article. No water flowed from the fountain... None of the flags or banners rustled in the breeze... The ever-present hum from the Crystal was silent. This was nothing more than a mockery of what Noctis had lost, the sight of it leaving him hollow inside.

A soft pressure on his leg interrupted his train of thought, glancing down to see Carbuncle rubbing against him. The fox chirped once he had Noct's attention, the phone beeping a second later.

/Ready to go?/

"As I'll ever be, I guess," Noctis sighed, sliding the phone back in his pocket as he started over the bridge with Carbuncle at his heels.

He'd made it about halfway across when an almost palpable sense of foreboding fell over him. His pace slowed as he eyes scanned the area around him, trying to locate the source of his unease. Nothing he could see had changed, yet his apprehension only continued to grow. He instinctively sunk into a battle-ready stance as he continued across, his nerves all on edge. He stopped short when he heard a soft _clicking_ sound, his head whipping around as he tried to figure out where it was coming from.

It wasn't loud or obtrusive and if he'd heard it anywhere else, he probably wouldn't have even noticed. However, after walking for who-knows-how-long in the dead silence of the city, it might as well have been an air horn. The soft noise was irregular, keeping to no pattern or beat that Noctis could discern. The _clicking_ was growing in number if not volume, seeming to be coming from all around him. Adrenaline pumped through his veins at the unseen threat as the prince cautiously moved to the rail, glancing down into the wide-open area below. There was nothing there.

Suddenly the fox yipped sharply, fur raised as he crouched defensively on the ground. /Above you!/

Noctis glanced up, blanching at the sight. A whole flock of thunderocs had managed to sneak up on him.

The birds were about two feet long from head to tail feathers, though they had narrow sinuous twin tails that almost doubled that length. They were vividly colored, orange tail feathers darkening to red and brown across the body and wings before shifting a brilliant golden along the crest of the head. The beak was short but sharp and although the talons were of a decent length, given the size of the bird, the part to watch out for were barbs on each of the tails.

Noctis had never fought a group larger than fifteen or so, and that was with his companions assistance. Here he could see at least three and some times four of the large birds sitting on every lamppost along the length of the bridge, with even more circling high above him in the sky. He knew there was no way he could take on that many by himself.

Despite what Gladio may say about his recklessness, the prince had no qualms about running from a fight when the odds were so heavily stacked against him. A quick glance in both directions showed he was a little past halfway across the bridge, so he turned and ran toward the Citadel.

The birds starting shrieking loudly at the possibility of losing their prey, diving with talons splayed as if to catch a rabbit or fish. Noctis tried to zigzag back and forth across the bridge to avoid them, but there were just too many. The birds were everywhere.

Claws raked over his forearm as he dodged right a second too late, a snapping beak barely missed his ear, a bird almost made him trip as it hit the ground right in front of him, forcing him to jump over it. Another beast _did_ make him fall as a talon caught in his boot and jerked his foot back enough for his momentum to send him tumbling across the ground. His body moved almost on its own, rolling back up into a crouch with twin daggers appearing in his hands. He silently thanked Gladio's insistence and the hours spent drilling that move into him as his blades stopped another set of talons inches from his face. Clearly, escape was not an option.

The birds changed tactics once their prey stopped running. The thunderocs' main attack was to descend in a tight spiral, gaining speed with each rotation. Their tails whipped behind them, lashing the prey with the appendage itself or raking it with the quills before swooping back up and circling for another shot. Their speed combined with the hit-and-run tactics made them difficult to strike.

Although thunderocs in the wild traveled in small groups, they generally didn't coordinate their attacks. Whether these monsters were more intelligent than their counterparts in the real world or something else was pulling their strings, they hit hard and heavy. The main attack pattern was the same. The only differences were the numbers and positions.

The thunderocs came down nine or ten at a time, all circling closely together so that evading one often left the prince right the path of a second or a third. And as soon as the first group pulled out of their dive, another group was right behind it, scarcely giving the prince room to breath much less counter.

Noctis focused all his energy on defending, dodging and blocking what blows he could and phasing through those he couldn't as he waited for an opening. Ignis was constantly lecturing him on watching the enemies' movements and not charging in carelessly. The prince couldn't think of a single situation that advice applied to more than this.

A few painfully long minutes later, Noctis decided Iggy's advise sucked and he needed a new strategy. The overwhelming numbers of thunderocs meant there simply was no break in the attack for him to exploit. He'd tried to create his own, but the few hits he did get in were glancing at best and not enough to disrupt the pattern.

Carbuncle was still at his feet, barking and snapping at any bird that came too close. The phone in Noct's pocket was beeping almost frantically, but the prince simply didn't have time to read what the fox was trying to tell him.

It wasn't long before fatigue started slowing Noctis down. His jacket and pants were already littered with rips and holes and, though he'd managed to avoid any serious injuries, he knew it was only a matter of time. Phasing didn't take much energy, but the constant drain on his magic was wearing him down. He couldn't keep this up much longer.

Noctis had managed to work his way toward one of the lampposts, staying near it to force the birds to break up their formation even if only a little bit. Sweat ran down his cheeks as he panted, chancing another glance around as he desperately looked for a way to escape. If he didn't come up with something soon, he didn't think he'd make it out of this dream alive.

A new sound cut through the cacophony of shrieks and barks, almost making Noctis sag in relief at the familiarity of it. The report of a gunshot ripped through the air, quickly followed by several more until the clip was emptied. Several thunderocs fell to the ground around the prince, dead. Noctis slumped against the pole at his back, knowing he only had seconds to rest before he was in range of the next wave. The gunfire rang out again, felling another four beasts that thought to take advantage of the prince's distraction.

Noctis looked toward the source of the gunfire, eye's widening as he located the sniper leaning out of an open window on the third floor of the Citadel. Though he was too far away to make out the man's features, he'd recognize that blond hairstyle anywhere.

"Prompto," he breathed, his lips turning up in a weary smile. Movement off to the side had him reflexively spinning in the opposite direction, sharp quills just missing him as they ripped through the tail of his jacket. He breathed out a curse at allowing himself to be distracted. There were still more thunderocs than he could count- had their numbers increased? -circling overhead and a lone gunman could only do so much.

Forcing his attention back to the problem at hand, Noctis blocked another tail with his sword while eyeing the distance to the Citadel's door. It was further than he wanted to run in his current state, but doable with Prompto's cover fire. Taking a deep breath (and ducking underneath another tail), he waited until the next break in gunfire. When it came, he gave Prompto a few seconds to reload before making a run for it.

The thunderocs switched once more to direct dives, aiming at the prince's unprotected back and legs. Noctis didn't bother trying to running back and forth erratically this time, pouring everything he had on making it to the door as quickly as possible. The gunfire increased, indicating Prompto had either procured some new type of gun when the prince wasn't looking or, more likely, he was now holding a pistol in each hand. The heavy _thumps_ on the ground behind him showed the blond's aim was just as deadly with two guns.

The cover fire stopped as Noctis reached the fountain. The prince skidded to a stop, daggers already out and blocking talons and beaks alike while the gunman reloaded. The birds were angrier than before, their attacks increasing in ferocity. Noctis was barely able to keep them at bay, silently wondering if he'd be able to escape even with Prompto's help.

The first shot sent him running again, taking the stairs two or three at a time. The shots petered off the closer he got to the door, as the gunman was unable to cover him from that angle. Making it to the top of the steps, Noctis ran the last ten or so feet to the door, heedless of the claws raking across his back. He crashed into it, almost breaking the handle in his haste to open it before all but diving inside and slamming it shut behind him.

The sudden lack of noise was almost startling, nothing but Noct's gasping breaths breaking the silence. He sank into a boneless heap on the floor, too tired to move to one of the many couches or chairs on either side of the lobby. The tiles were deliciously cool against his sweaty skin and the hard floor had never felt so comfortable in his life. He half thought he could fall asleep right there.

It was several long minutes before a soft whine accompanied by a cold and damp nose to the cheek forced him out of the daze he'd fallen into. He sighed, gingerly pushing himself back to a sitting position. The numerous cuts and scratches in general- and the claw marks on his back in particular -informed him that was a bad idea. He summoned an elixir from his storage space, imbuing it with some of his magic before crushing the bottle in his hand. It burst easily, turning into a blue mist that gently enveloped him, healing and rejuvenating both body and mind.

Feeling refreshed, Noctis fished the phone out of his pocket as he climbed back to his feet.

/This isn't a good place to fall asleep./

"Didn't mean to," he replied, heading toward the elevator at an easy pace. He paused as he glanced back at the phone, realizing previous messages disappeared regardless of whether or not he had read them. Carbuncle had seemed awfully keen to talk to him while the thunderocs were attacking, but it just wasn't feasible to read texts while fighting. "Hey, do you have a text-to-speech function on here?" he asked, glancing down at the fox. "You know, something that can read the texts to me?"

Carbuncle tilted his head to the side, considering. After a few seconds he chirped, jumping up and flipping backward in the air. A softly glowing ball of light materialized in front of the prince, hovering silently about chest height.

Noctis slowly held out his hand, the light fading to reveal a headset which floated gently down to rest on his palm. With a slight shrug, he slid the earpiece over his ear.

The fox chirped again. " _Is this better?_ " a young boy's voice asked.

"Well, it'll certainly make things easier," Noctis replied, slipping the phone back into his pocket and continuing on toward the elevator. "Why a child's voice, though?"

Carbuncle seemed to hum. " _It means you see me as a relic from your childhood,_ " he stated, tail swishing behind him as he trotted at Noct's heels. " _A positive influence, though not particularly helpful. I'm not sure if I should be insulted or not._ "

Noctis rubbed the back of his neck, looking away. "Well, you did help by giving me the toy sword and whatnot last time," he said, keeping his gaze straight ahead. "But then you left me to fight against all those 'nightmares' or whatever they were by myself. Not to mention that iron giant at the end..."

" _I can see your point,_ " the fox conceded thoughtfully. " _But since you had started training the month before, I thought you'd be able to handle it on your own._ " He looked up at the prince, tongue lolling in a canine grin. " _And I was right- you beat them all, even the iron giant!_ "

"I was _eight!_ The last thing I remembered was being attacked by a huge daemon snake-lady, then I wake up trapped in a dream world full of monsters and a fox with a phone for a guide- who, I might add, could only tell me _what_ I was supposed to be looking for, not _where_ it might be," Noctis pointed out.

" _It does sound pretty bad when you put it like that,_ " Carbuncle agreed amiably.

"Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the weapons and spells you gave me- I wouldn't have made it very far unarmed," he said, glancing down at the fox. "But saying you'll protect me right before you leave me to face an iron giant _by myself?_ That...was kind of harsh, don't you think?"

" _You had to defeat all the nightmares on your own- including the iron giant. Elsewise you would never have woken up._ "

Noctis was silent for a long moment, reaching the elevator and pushing the button. He studied the fox as they waited for the car to arrive. "I suppose I can see the logic behind that, and why you wouldn't have told me that then," he said at length. "But why say you were going to protect me if you had no intention of doing so?"

Carbuncle tittered. " _Oh, little prince,_ " the voice laughed, sounding both amused and just a touch exasperated at the same time. " _I did protect you- both then and now._ "

The prince blinked. "What?" he asked, confused. "How?"

" _Do you remember being thrown into- sorry,_ through _the lamppost?_ "

Noctis did. The iron giant had been swinging its massive blade back and forth in wide strokes. Unable to fully dodge, Noctis had been caught by the flat of the blade and hurled through the air. He had hit one lamppost with enough force to break it and possibly the one behind it as well, although the injuries made his memory a little fuzzy at that point. Right afterward he'd been enveloped by a soft blue mist, not unlike the elixir he'd used moments before. He blinked, finally making the connection after all these years. "You healed me?"

The fox sat up straight, preening proudly. " _Yep!_ "

The elevator _dinged_ softly as the cart arrived, the doors quietly sliding open. Noctis stepped inside mechanically, absorbing this new information. "You said then and now," he stated after a moment. "Does that mean you're still protecting me?"

" _You bet!_ " the fox agreed, hopping lightly into the elevator. " _You've got a pretty important destiny ahead of you, after all!_ "

Noctis pushed the button for the third floor, blinking as something else occurred to him. "What about with the thunderocs?" he asked. "Why didn't you heal me then?"

The fox tittered again as the elevator started moving up. " _Gladio would laugh if he heard you call those injuries life-threatening._ "

"So that's the catch?" he pressed. "You only step in if it's life-threatening?"

" _Pretty much,_ " Carbuncle answered, regarding the prince solemnly. " _I can't fight your battles for you- this is a trial you have to overcome yourself. But I promise I won't let you die in here._ "

"Functional immortality," Noctis mused as the elevator came to a stop. "I could get used to that."

" _I wouldn't,_ " the fox advised. " _Life-threatening injuries mean you have to go through a whole lot of pain first. I'll only step in if I'm absolutely certain you'll die without my help._ "

The prince grimaced, thinking back to some of the more painful close shaves he'd had as the elevator doors opened. "Last resort then, got it." He stepped out into the hall, walking down the corridor with quick, sure steps.

Carbuncle kept pace, trotting at his heels. " _What are we looking for?_ "

"Prompto," he answered, heading for the door at the end of the hall. "He should be in there."

The fox whined softly, coming to a stop.

Noctis stopped as well, glancing down at him in surprise. "What's wrong?" he asked urgently, realizing Carbuncle may have been injured earlier. He didn't see any blood staining the white fur, nor was he leaving a trail of it behind him, but...

" _I don't think your friend is in there._ " The voice sounded sad.

That wasn't what Noctis had been expecting. "Why not?" he asked, confusion coloring his tone.

" _Because he was never really here to begin with._ "

Noctis shook his head. "I saw him," he pointed out, lengthening his stride as he continued toward the door. "I wouldn't have made inside here without his help."

Carbuncle shook his head sadly. " _Not even your father's magic could allow him to enter your dream world,_ " he pointed out as Noct's hand closed around the handle. " _How could your friend have managed to do what a King of Lucis, with the full power of the Crystal at his disposal, could not?_ "

The door swung open, revealing a conference room. A long table was sitting in the middle of the room, numerous plush chairs lining both sides. Smaller tables were set up along the sides of the room, meant to hold refreshments or meals during the longer meetings. Several tall windows allowed sunlight to stream in, one of them standing open although the curtains did not move in the breeze. Prompto was nowhere to be seen.

Years of practice allowed Noctis to hide his disappointment- and the band of fear tightening around his chest -beneath a disinterested mask. He had grown used to having his companions by his side, especially in times of peril. This dream world had already proven far more dangerous than last he'd been here and although he himself was stronger, he had his doubts that his strength alone would be sufficient. The incident on the bridge was proof enough of that.

Still, he had not imagined the blonde figure leaning out the window, felling thunderocs with his guns. "But I saw him- he was right here," Noctis stated, keeping his voice steady although he did not turn to face the fox.

" _He was,_ " Carbuncle agreed, staying out in the hall. " _But he wasn't._ "

Noctis tightened his grip on the door handle, the only outward sign of his agitation. "What is that supposed to mean?" he asked, a little irritation slipping into his tone. He was in no mood for riddles.

" _We're inside your head- that means you have power over everything in here, though you can't control it consciously,_ " the fox explained. " _On the bridge you were basically trapped with no way out, so you subconsciously created a replica of the friend most likely to help you escape. Once you had done so, he was no longer needed and disappeared._ "

"You're saying Prompto was just...what, a figment of my imagination?" The prince kept his gaze on the far wall, bitterness coiling around the fear and settling in his stomach.

" _In the most literal sense._ "

Noctis took a deep breath and released it slowly, making sure his composure was perfect before turning back into the hall. "Then we shouldn't waste any more time here," he said, voice steady but dismissive as he brushed past the fox, heading back to the elevator. Logically, he knew he could handle himself- he'd been trained fight and utilize his magic both offensively and defensively from a young age. It was unsettling, not having any of his companions' solid and reassuring presences at his back. The thought of facing whatever dangers lie ahead- _by himself_ -was terrifying, especially when he'd been unable to save himself on the bridge.

" _You're not alone, you know._ "

Noctis stopped, his hand partially raised to hit the button that would open the elevator.

Carbuncle padded over softly, leaning against the prince's leg and giving comfort in a way that only an animal could. Noctis kept his gaze on the elevator doors, refusing to meet the liquid brown eyes. " _I know it's not the same but, no matter how long it takes to find the way out, I'll be by your side every step of the way._ " The words, though softly spoken, rang with sincerity and determination. " _I promise._ "

Noctis sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair in embarrassment even as the words eased the knot of fear in his stomach slightly. "Am I really that easy to read?" he asked, his voice shaking a little as he forced the words past the suspicious lump that had formed in his throat.

The fox tittered again, dispelling the solemn atmosphere that had fallen over them as the young voice echoed the laughter in Noct's ear. " _Don't you remember what I told you before?_ " he asked as the prince finally met his gaze. " _I know everything about you._ "

Noctis huffed out a humorless laugh. "Yeah, I do recall you saying something like that," he said, the corner of his lips turning up slightly. He hit the button, hesitating as the doors slid open. He'd never been very good at expressing his feelings. "...thanks."

Carbuncle nodded, able to read the sincerity behind the succinct response. " _You bet!_ " he said, all but hopping into the elevator.

Noctis followed behind, hitting the button for the fourteenth floor. "Next stop: the throne room."

 **To Be Continued**

If you want a reply to your review, please sign in.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Ignis' memory of the cave's layout proved correct, the group reaching the exit about half an hour later. Prompto ran on ahead, closing his eyes and smiling as he stepped into the light of the mid-morning sun. "Oh sunlight- how I have missed you!" he cried, holding his arms up as if to hug the sky itself.

"Why is _everything_ such a big deal with you?" Gladio groused, easing Noctis to the ground with Ignis' help. "We were only in the cave _one_ night."

"We're not out of the woods yet," Ignis interrupted, checking Noctis over once more now that they had proper light.

"Right- I'll go find the chocobos!" Prompto volunteered, dropping the bag with their supplies to the ground and running off to find the birds.

"I believe Noct has the whistle in his pocket-" Ignis began, looking up to find the blond was already gone. "So impatient. I'm not sure if he's picked that up from Noct or the other way around."

"He's such a little kid sometimes," Gladio said, staring at the trees where Prompto had disappeared.

"He's had a very different upbringing than either of us," Ignis pointed out, holding the back of his hand to Noct's cheek before zipping the prince's jacket back up the few inches it had worked itself down. "And I'm certain he'll come back if the chocobos are not grazing nearby."

Gladio rolled his shoulders, stretching out the muscles as he kept an eye on their surroundings for any monsters that might think they'd make an easy meal. "Any change?" he asked.

Ignis sat back on heels, adjusting his glasses. "None," he sighed, shaking his head. "He's still running a bit cooler than usual and he might be a little pale, though it's difficult to tell for sure with his fair complexion. Other than that..." He let the sentence trail off as he pushed himself to his feet, pulling his phone out of his pocket. "I think it's time I put in a call to the marshal."

Gladio nodded, continuing to keep an eye out as Ignis moved a little ways away to talk to Cor.

It didn't take Prompto long to find the chocobos, the large birds docilely ambling behind him as he met back up with the others a few minutes later. "Four chocobos for our riding pleasure!" the gunman announced, gesturing to the birds behind him. "Are we still heading back to Taelpar?"

"Yes, I've called the marshal and apprised him of the situation," Ignis stated, picking up the bag with their supplies and moving over to tie it to the chocobo Noctis had ridden the day before. "He's going to meet us in Taelpar, though it is likely he won't arrive until tomorrow."

"Why are we waiting for Cor?" Prompto asked, a little confused. "Shouldn't we be trying to get Noct to a hospital or something?"

"And just what would we tell them?" Gladio asked as he moved over to Ignis, taking the rope from him. "Something went wrong when the Crown Prince was collecting a Royal Arm but we don't know what?" He eyed the knot the advisor had been working on dubiously before taking it out and starting again.

Ignis raised an eyebrow at the brunet, but didn't protest. "We cannot forget about the Empire either," he pointed out, leaving their supplies to Gladio while he grabbed his chocobo's bridle and led the bird over to Noctis. "The war may have ended with the fall of the Crown City, but the Empire will not rest until the royal line of Lucis is either under their control or has been completely eradicated."

Prompto nodded solemnly. The number of magitek troopers they ran into in a given week made it difficult to forget Noctis was 'public enemy number one' within the Empire. He glanced up at the reminder, scanning the sky for MT drop ships. "So why are we meeting up with Cor?" he asked, looking back to Ignis. "Do you think he knows how to help Noct?"

"The marshal is working on locating one of the physicians that was on staff at the Citadel. "

"Huh?" Prompto blinked. "Physicians, as in _multiple?_ Did the Citadel have it's own medical wing or something?"

"Actually, yeah," Gladio answered, pulling at the bag to make sure it was secure. Satisfied with his work, he handed the chocobo's reins to Prompto. "Normal hospitals aren't really equipped to deal with someone who can pull a fire spell out of nowhere when they wake up disoriented after anesthesia," he explained, moving over to help Ignis.

"With any luck, the marshal will be able to locate Noct's personal physician," Ignis stated, pulling himself up onto his chocobo's back. "Barring that, the doctor will at least be familiar with the innate magic present in the royal line and its affects on the body. Hopefully, he'll be able to shed some light on Noct's condition and what can be done about it."

Prompto watched as Ignis slid as far back as the saddle would allow, Gladio lifting the prince to sit in front of him. The brunet kept ahold of Noctis as the advisor shifted to find a better position. Ignis nodded to Gladio when he was ready, the reins in one hand with his other arm wrapped firmly around Noct's chest.

The remaining two members of the group mounted their chocobos and they started heading back to Taelpar. Gladio took the lead, Ignis and Noctis in the middle while Prompto brought up the rear, leading Noct's bird behind him. The trip was thankfully unexciting, no stray monsters or MT check points to waylay them, though they did stop periodically as Ignis and Gladio continued taking turns carrying the prince. The delay added a bit to their travel time, upping it to a little over two hours as opposed to the hour and a half it had taken the previous day.

It was around one in the afternoon by the time they made it to the Taelpar Rest Area. There wasn't much there- a rundown motel, diner, gas pump, stables and two merchants selling weapons and such out of their trucks to any hunters passing through.

The chocobos- which had only been rented for twenty-four hours -headed back to the stable as soon as their riders had dismounted. Prompto had barely managed to hold onto Noct's bird as the others had fled, calming it down only long enough to remove the bag from its back. "Really feelin' the love," the blond muttered, watching the chocobo sprint around the corner of the building and out of sight.

"Don't take it personally Prompto," Ignis said, looking through his pockets. "I believe there is a device on their collars that emits some sort of sound or signal when it is time for the birds to return. It is, after all, what they have been trained to do." He finally located the slightly crumpled paper he'd been looking for, detailing the type, number and location of monsters in the area that needed to be exterminated. "In the meantime, would you mind seeing to this?" he asked, holding the paper out to the blond.

Prompto glanced over its contents, recognizing the details of the hunt they'd completed the day before. "Oh yeah, I'd almost forgotten about that," he said, trading the duffle bag for the paper. "I can go collect the reward. You want me to pick up something to eat while I'm at it?"

"Sounds good to me," Gladio said, his eyes scanning the area for any unwanted attention. He was holding Noct's arm across his shoulders with his other arm around the prince's waist, making it look more like the black haired-man was having difficulty standing on his own rather than completely unconscious. "Personally, I'd like to get a room sooner rather than later, if you know what I mean," he said, giving Ignis a significant look.

The advisor nodded. "Agreed, we needn't draw any more attention to ourselves," he concurred, heading toward the motel's office. "I'll see to our accommodations while Prompto procures lunch."

The room was of a decent size, two beds separated by a nightstand taking up most of one wall. There was a low table in the area at the foot of the beds with three upholstered chairs situated around it. The soft green paint was peeling off the walls in places and the furniture looked a bit worse for the wear, but everything was clean and the shower had hot water, so none of them were going to complain.

It didn't take long to get Noctis settled, Gladio hopping in the shower while Ignis again checked the prince's vitals. As expected nothing had changed, though the advisor wasn't sure whether to be relieved or worried.

Ignis was just finishing getting dressed after his own shower when he heard Prompto return, his and Gladio's voices audible through the door though he couldn't make out the words themselves. Running a brush through his hair one last time, he gathered up his dirty clothes to be washed later and exited the bathroom.

"Alright big guy, but it'll be cold by the time you get back!" Prompto called as the door to their room shut, presumably as Gladio left. The blond was pulling take-out boxes and bottles of soda from a plastic bag and setting them on the table. "Oh, good- you're out just in time," he said, handing one of the containers to the advisor.

"Thank you," Ignis said, accepting the box and opening the lid to reveal a salmon fillet, cooked to perfection and drizzled with a creamy sauce. He took a moment to enjoy the tantalizing aroma, sighing in satisfaction. Their perpetual lack of funds didn't allow them to eat out often and he intended to savor it while he could. "Is there anything you'd like to share?" he asked, taking a seat across from the blonde and picking up a set of plastic cutlery.

"Hm?" Prompto glanced up from his own meal, fork dangling from his mouth.

"You only go out of your way to pick up my favorite meal in order to curry favor after some misdeed," Ignis pointed out, his plastic knife cutting smoothly through the fillet.

"What? No, I don't!" Prompto protested, waving a hand as if to brush aside the accusation.

"Are you saying you _didn't_ use gysahl greens to lure that black chocobo to camp in the Myrlwood? And then offer me a Horntooth meat pie when we stopped in Meldacio before confessing?" Ignis asked, taking a bite of his own meal. The sauce was seasoned with just the right blend of spices, enhancing and balancing flavor of the fish. It was just as exquisite as he remembered.

"I only ducked back into the tent for a minute to grab my camera- I had no idea chocobos liked shiny things," Prompto said, chewing on his bottom lip. "At least Noct was able to help you get your glasses back, right?"

Ignis hummed in agreement, swallowing before he continued. "I also seem to recall finding all of the alstrooms missing after a failed attempt at luring a catoblepas closer for 'the perfect shot.'"

Prompto laughed a bit nervously. "I didn't realize they only liked certain types of mushrooms- which you told me when I got you your favorite at the Crow's Nest that night," he finished, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly as he proved Ignis' point. "But nothing happened this time, I promise! Besides, I've only been gone, what, ten? Maybe twenty minutes, max?"

"You do have a penchant for finding trouble in the least likely of places," Ignis remarked, smiling slightly as he twisted the cap off one of the bottles.

Prompto relaxed, finally recognized the teasing for what it was. The advisor had quite the poker face, making it difficult to tell when he was joking. "Well, everyone's gotta be good at something right?" he offered, shrugging. "Besides, you know you'd be bored to tears without me around to liven things up!"

Ignis' smile faded, his gaze sliding to the bed where Noctis lay. "Between evading the Empire, seeking out the Six and...present complications, I believe we could all do with a bit more 'boredom,'" he commented softly, swirling the soda in the bottle before taking a drink.

The pair ate quietly for several minutes, each lost in his own thoughts. As usual, Prompto was the one to break the silence. "Hey, Ignis?" he asked hesitantly, his tone reflecting the somber atmosphere of the room. "Do you... Do you think Noct's gonna be okay?"

Ignis looked up, taking in the uncertainty clouding the blond's features. There were only three years between them, but sometimes the gunman seemed so much younger. However, it was not the advisor's habit to hide the truth from his companions.

"It is a unique situation, to be sure," he said, pulling a cloth from his pocket and taking off his glasses to clean the lens, more for something to do than out of any real necessity. "I'm not a medical professional and I've had little more than field first aid training. As you know, Noct's ability to utilize his magic to change most common energy drinks and herbal teas into healing potions and elixirs has always been enough to get us by."

Ignis slipped his glasses back onto his face, his glaze sliding over to the prince once more. Noctis looked peaceful, as if he really were simply sleeping the afternoon away. "This...situation is unprecedented. As I understand it, past Lucian kings have only ever acquired up to six Royal Arms- Noct currently has nine, possibly ten if there was indeed one in the cave. You've seen firsthand how using their power tires him. It is possible ten was simply too much for him to handle and he's merely recuperating from over-extending himself. On the other hand, it is equally likely there was indeed some sort of trap designed to ensnare him in that tomb. However, he has yet to show any sign of poisoning and I haven't the faintest idea how to break a curse without his aid- or that of the oracle."

The advisor shook his head, turning back to Prompto. "That being said, Noctis is strong and very stubborn. If it is some sort of curse, I've no doubt he's fighting against it with every fiber of his being," he said, his faith in the prince showing in his tone before the corner of his lips quirked in a fond smile. "Alternatively, if it turns out he is using this as an excuse to catch up on his sleep, rest assured he'll receive an _emphatic_ lecture on the merits of going to bed at a decent hour."

Prompto huffed out a laugh. "If that turns out to be the case, I don't think you'll be the only one yelling at him," he replied, gazing at the still figure on the bed. Ignis' answer, though not quite the one he was looking for, made him feel a bit better all the same. Noctis wasn't one to give up without a fight. Besides, he'd been chosen by the Crystal to be the king who would banish the darkness or whatever. That had to count for something, right?

Feeling a bit more optimistic about the situation in general, Prompto stretched his arms out above his head, leaning back in his chair as he arched his back. Catching a whiff of himself, he quickly lowered his arms and pushed himself to his feet. "Well, I think I can hear the shower calling my name," he said, stepping away from the table.

"You should have a clean change of clothes in the bag," Ignis informed him, turning his attention back to his meal.

Prompto thanked him, finding the clothes and disappearing into the bathroom.

Gladio got back as Ignis was dropping his trash in the bin. He nodded to the advisor, holding a large shopping bag in one hand while closing the door behind him.

"While stocking up on curatives is generally a good idea, I'm afraid we've little use for them without Noct's magic," Ignis pointed out, eyeing the oddly angular shapes pushing against the thin plastic.

"This should be a bit more useful than that right now," Gladio returned, rummaging around in the bag. He pulled out a leather harness attached to two crossed sheaths with a pair of mythril daggers nestled inside. "Not as good as what you're used to, but still better than nothing," the brunet said, handing the whole thing to the advisor.

Ignis took the weapons, blinking at mess of leather straps and buckles that would supposedly secure them on his person. Having never needed a harness of any sort before, he was at somewhat of a loss. "I don't suppose it came with an instruction manual?" he asked, turning gear over in his hands.

"The sheaths sit on your back," Gladio offered helpfully, pulling out a pistol, holster and ammo belt from the bag and setting them on the table. Tossing the empty bag in the bin, he rolled his shoulders to adjust the placement of the straps of his new harness, trying to get used to the weight of the large magnet between his shoulder blades. He paused when he caught Ignis' eye, the advisor's unamused expression demanding a more in-depth answer. "One strap goes over each shoulder and the other goes under your arm," Gladio explained with a smile, helping himself to the remaining box of take-out.

With the additional directions, it only took Ignis a few minutes to figure out how the harness was meant to be worn. The leather straps were uncomfortable, stretching taut as the advisor tested his range of movement, though they didn't actually restrict any of his motions. He could easily grasp the hilts sticking up over his shoulders, the sheaths giving little resistance as he pulled the blades free.

"I'm going to step out for a bit," Ignis informed Gladio, glancing over his shoulders to return the daggers to their sheaths. As fond he was of puns, he didn't need to hear one about 'stabbing himself in the back' as he blinding groped for the mouth of the sheath with a naked blade.

Gladio nodded his approval, swallowing what he'd been chewing. "Never a good idea to go into battle with an untried blade," he agreed, reaching for the last unopened soda. "You got your phone?"

Ignis nodded, feeling the outline of the cell in his pocket as he placed his hand over it. "I won't be gone long," he said, moving toward the door. He hesitated, one hand on the handle, as he glanced back at the prince. "Please inform me immediately if there are any changes in his highness' condition."

Gladio met his gaze, nodding solemnly. "You'll be the first know."

 **-LINE BREAK-**

Noctis leaned against the wall of the elevator, ignoring the handrail pressing against his hip. He could feel the wall vibrating softly against his back, the quiet hum of the engine easily heard in the silence. Carbuncle was sitting at his feet, using a hind leg to scratch a persistent itch behind his ear.

The speed at which they were traveling slowed to a stop with a _thud_ , the entire cart jolting slightly. Noctis pushed himself off the wall, waiting for the doors to open. He blinked in surprise, brows furrowing in confusion as the elevator instead began heading down the shaft again.

He hit the emergency stop button, the cart obediently halting once more. "That was weird..." he muttered, glancing at the control panel. All the buttons were lit up, blinking on and off sporadically before the whole thing went dark. He pushed several of the buttons experimentally, but they all remained off. "What's going on?"

The prince glanced up as the overheard lights flickered several times before they went out as well. There was complete and total darkness for about ten seconds before it switched over to emergency power, a dim strip of lights coming to life near the floor on all walls. Noctis sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "Well, it looks like this is our stop," he said looking between the sealed doors and the escape hatch in the ceiling, its outline glowing in the dim lights. "Hopefully, we're not-"

Without warning, the panel sparked and the cart started descending once more, going faster than any elevator had a right to in Noct's mind. He hit the emergency stop button again, but to no avail. Not sure what else to do, he continued pressing it as his mind cast about for an alternate solution, his eyes darting around the darkened cart for anything that might help. Suddenly the elevator jerked to a stop with a metallic shriek, throwing him roughly to the floor before heading back up at the same speed.

The cart shook and clanked noisily around him, protesting the abuse as the engine all but screamed, the noise growing in pitch the higher they climbed. Having no more desire to crash into the top of the shaft than the bottom, Noctis clung to the rail as he pulled himself once more to his feet, ignoring his now-bruised shoulder and hip. The still-sparking control panel gave him an idea.

The Citadel in general had always been a no-spell zone- most emphatically in regards to lightning in the elevator. He pulled out the strongest lightning spell he had, clutching the black orb tightly in his hand. The yellow energy contained within was visible through cracks in the outer shell, pulsing brightly in the dim light. Noctis crushed the orb against the control panel, forcing the raw energy through the circuits and wires in the hopes of overloading whatever was causing the malfunction.

The elevator jerked to a stop once more, again throwing the prince to the floor as a daemonic shriek echoed down the shaft. Noctis had fought enough arachnes to recognize the sound. It was a type of spider, approximately the size of a large car with a human torso where its eyes should be. It favored dark, tight spaces and the energy attacks it used were very similar to the electricity running through the cables and wires lining the walls. It seemed one had found the elevator shaft quite to its liking.

Though he had used his strongest lightning spell and caught the daemon off guard, Noctis knew he hadn't done more than stun it, at best. It wouldn't be long before it came looking for him and he was severely disadvantaged stuck in a cart dangling precariously so high up in the shaft. He would have groaned had he not been so hyped up on adrenalin that he was actually shaking.

 _"Noct!"_

"I know!" Noctis bit out, his voice almost startlingly loud in the sudden silence. He forced himself back to his feet, holding onto the handrail as he located the hatch in the ceiling. He needed to get out before the arachne started playing with the wires or whatever it had been doing again- or figured out where he was and cut all the cables instead.

Using the corner to help brace himself against the wall, Noctis managed to climb up onto the rail and push the hatch open. He grabbed onto the edge and heaved, the rubber soles of his boots squeaking against the decorative black marble wall as he used what traction he could get to help push himself up. Handholds were plentiful on the top of the elevator and it didn't take long before he was able to pull himself out.

It was dark, the emergency lights in the cart not bright enough to reach the shaft. Noctis wasted no time in summoning his flashlight, turning it on before clipping it to his jacket.

The bright light illuminated the area quite nicely, reflecting off the dull metal beams attached at all four corners of the cart and continuing up the shaft. A thick metal cable was fastened to the center of the elevator's roof, disappearing up into the darkness. A similar cable hung down past the back of the cart in the narrow space between it at the wall. There was a wall on one side of the cart, but on the other Noctis could see another cable pulled taut past the crossed I-beams bracing the metal pillars- another elevator.

Noctis briefly considered trying to ride the second elevator up to the fourteenth floor, but quickly discounted the idea. The hissing and clicking echoing down the shaft made it impossible to tell how many daemons there were, but he felt he'd be better off taking his chances in the shaft over the second elevator. Arachnes were generally solitary creatures, but not always. With the way his luck was going, Noctis wouldn't be surprised to find an entire nest of them waiting for him at the top of the shaft.

" _Take a look at this Noct,_ " Carbuncle said, chirping to get his attention. The fox was standing at the front of the cart, the top three or four inches of a door visible in the wall next to him. " _We'd be out of the shaft if you'd forced the doors open instead of climbing out. Too bad there was no way for you to know that._ "

Noctis blinked. "How'd you get up here?" he asked, glancing down at the hatch. Even though it was in his peripheral vision, he hadn't seen the fox jump out.

Carbuncle rolled his eyes. " _Don't you think you have more important things to worry about right now?_ "

As if in response to the fox's words, the entire elevator shuddered. Noctis grabbed the cable to keep himself from falling, knowing his brief reprieve was over. The door Carbuncle had drawn his attention to was probably his best chance at getting out. Without a second thought, he lunged toward the crossed braces at the cart's side, hoping there would be enough room for him there, should the cart be heading back up.

The elevator dropped just as Noctis reached the braces, his hands catching on the wide lower lip of an I-beam. The cart continued down at roller-coaster speed- as far as Noctis was concerned -as the arachne continued wrecking havoc on the controls. Quickly glancing back over his shoulder, he could make just make out the white of his companion's pelt, still standing on the elevator as it plummeted down the shaft.

"Carbuncle!" Noctis yelled, unable to help the fox as the cart disappeared into the darkness.

" _Don't worry about me,_ " the fox said soothingly via the headset in Noct's ear. " _I can't really get around in here like you can, so I'll meet up with you outside the shaft, okay?_ "

Noctis nodded, well aware that Carbuncle couldn't see the motion. The fact that the fox didn't sound the slightest bit concerned for his own well being went a long way toward reassuring Noctis of his safety. The prince took a deep breath as the relief washed over him. "Alright," he answered, pleased his voice came out steady. "I'll see you later, then."

" _Not too long, I hope- you're not gonna try climbing the shaft, are you?_ " Now the fox sounded worried. " _I mean, what with the daemons in there and with a door right_ _ **in front**_ _of you..._ "

Noctis huffed out a laugh. "Despite what Gladio may say, I'm not _that_ reckless," he answered, grabbing the opposite side of the bar and flipping around to shine his light on the door. He was about even with it now, but there weren't any readily visible hand or footholds close enough to allow him to pry it open.

" _Not_ _ **that**_ _reckless?_ " Carbuncle repeated. " _How do you draw the line between okay-reckless and too-reckless?_ "

Summoning a sword, Noctis threw it at the wall just above the doorway. His magic allowed it to sink into the steel frame, providing a solid perch for him to warp to and hang from. "Beats me- you'd have to ask the guys," Noctis answered as his hand closed around the hilt, the other summoning a spear and driving its tip between the closed doors. "Although half the time I don't think they know either," he continued, planting both his feet on the haft and pushing.

" _What do you mean?_ "

Although it would be easier to focus on what he was doing without the chatter, Noctis knew the fox was only upholding his promise of not leaving him alone. And, if he were being honest, the voice in his ear was surprisingly comforting in the darkened shaft, especially with the ominous rumble reverberating from the depths.

"Well, Ignis is always harping on me about getting separated from the others- like warping into the middle of a herd of garulas or something," Noctis said, his voice strained as he felt the door start to give. He eased off a bit, pushing the spear further into the half-inch gap he'd created for more leverage. "But at the last imperial base we took out, he had me focus on destroying the magitek generator while everyone else was swarmed with enemies halfway across the compound."

Carbuncle hummed thoughtfully. " _Didn't taking out the generator weaken all magitek troops on the base?_ " he asked.

"Yeah," Noctis grunted, feeling the door move a bit more. "But how is running through squadrons of enemy troops- all of which are programed to kill me on sight -without any back-up, better than warping into the middle of a herd of animals which-" He broke off with a startled cry as the door jerked open four or five inches, the spear being flung free as the resistance disappeared. His hand tightened convulsively around the hilt of the sword as he swung back and forth, the spear breaking apart into crystalline shards as it fell too far away from him down the shaft.

" _Are you alright?_ " Carbuncle asked, sounding worried.

"Yeah," Noctis breathed, taking a second or two to regain his composure. "Just startled me, is all." He took a deep breath, pulling his eyes away from the dark shaft and looking at the gap in the door. Carbuncle was sitting in the hall beyond it, the opening just too small to fit his head through. "How did you...?"

" _Magic,_ " the fox remarked off-handedly, shaking out his coat with a full body shiver. " _I can get myself around pretty easily. You're more problematic because, well..._ "

"I'm the one they're trying to trap here," Noctis finished, shaking his head. With everything else going on, his magical guide being able to magically appear elsewhere shouldn't really be all that surprising. He eyed the gap in the door, forgoing pulling the spear back out in favor of bracing his feet against one door and his free hand holding onto the other. It took a bit of maneuvering to get his boots high enough to push directly against the door instead of at an angle, forcing him to switch the arm he was hanging from. Once he was in position, he tightened his grip on the door and pulled, pushing against the opposite door with his feet.

It was hard to get the leverage he needed from what amounted to a crouched position, but his efforts were rewarded as the doors slowly continued to move apart. He had managed to widen the gap to six or seven inches when the rumbling of the cart began to grow louder.

" _You might wanna hurry,_ " Carbuncle pointed out helpfully, nervously hopping from one place to another. " _It sounds like the elevator is coming back up- really fast!_ "

Noctis let his limbs fall from the door, sticking one leg and arm through the gap as he released the sword. His foot landed on the tile just inside the hall, using the partially open door to keep himself from falling. Without wasting any time he tried to squeeze through the opening, exhaling to fit in the narrow space. He got one shoulder through the doorway, but could go no further.

" _Noct! You gotta get out of there!_ " Carbuncle was downright frantic.

Noct's arm grasped at the smooth exterior of the door, trying to find anything to grab to help pull himself through. He could feel the vibrations as the whole shaft seemed to shake with the elevator's approach.

" _Warp back to the beam!_ "

His flashlight was on the side of his jacket that was already through the door, and he didn't have time to maneuver around to find another place to warp to before the elevator would be upon him. However, Carbuncle's suggestion did give him an idea. Praying fervently to the Six that this worked, he summoned a dagger and threw it past the fox, not caring where it landed.

The familiar rush of magic filled him as he hurtled along the weapon's path, though he was sure he felt the elevator pass through his phased foot as it thundered past. That was definitely too close for comfort.

With all his attention focused on the elevator, Noctis stumbled as he came out of the warp, smacking into the wall and ending up on the floor. He just laid there for several long seconds, letting the adrenalin subside as he processed the fact that he was still alive.

Carbuncle padded over softly, standing over him. " _Gladio's right,_ " he declared, shaking his head. " _You_ _ **are**_ _too reckless._ "

Noctis chuckled breathlessly, a bit giddy from his close shave. "I'm still here, aren't I?" he breathed, pushing himself to a sitting position.

The fox snorted. " _Barely._ "

Noctis reached over and ruffled the fox's ears, trying to get a rise out of him. Carbuncle just purred, leaning into the caress. Though unintended, the response still brought a smile to Noct's face. He gave his guide's head a good scratch before pushing himself to his feet. "As long as I'm still standing, that's good enough for me," he said, brushing off his clothes. "Any idea what floor we're on?"

" _You could check that picture on the wall,_ " Carbuncle suggested, looking pointedly at the map of the building displayed next to the entrance to the elevator.

It didn't take Noctis long to find the 'You Are Here' arrow hidden amongst all the offices on the map, groaning softly as he saw the number next to it. "Floor eleven," he said, shoulders slumping slightly. "That means we have to climb three flights of stairs."

The fox chittered, his laughter earning a dour glare from the prince. " _Don't be so dramatic! It's only a few stairs, and besides it could be worse,_ " he pointed out, tongue lolling in a canine grin. " _We could be on floor eight, or floor five. You're lucky you_ _ **only**_ _have to climb three flights!_ "

Noctis raised an unamused eyebrow before sighing. "I guess you're right," he conceded, resignedly. "Might as well get to it, I suppose."

 **-LINE BREAK-**

 **To Be Continued**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The afternoon at the motel was uneventful, Ignis and Prompto spending time familiarizing themselves with their new weapons, though all three of them took turns napping on the extra bed. Night brought with it the far off cries of daemons emerging from the dark, though the artificial lights flooding the rest area kept them away.

The three Crownsguard had played several rounds of cards and were just finishing up the last game for the night when there was a knock on the motel room door. Gladio and Ignis exchanged glances as Prompto looked up at the clock on the wall.

"It's 9:47," he said, brow furrowed in confusion as he looked at the other two. "Who would be knocking on the door at this time of night?"

"Let us find out," Ignis suggested, drawing one of his blades as he moved to answer the door. Gladio stepped to the other side, grabbing his greatsword from where it leaned against the wall.

"Who is it?" Ignis called, raising his voice to be heard through the closed door.

"Cor Leonis."

The muffled answer made them all blink in surprise. Ignis opened the door a crack to verify the claim. "We didn't expect your arrival so soon, Marshal, with the roads being so perilous at night," he said by way of greeting, pulling the door all the way open and stepping back.

Cor was of average height and build, dressed in a black jacket that hung open to reveal a black shirt with a shapeless gray design on it. Black pants and boots completed the uniform, a pin on his lapel marking him as the Marshal of the Crownsguard. He had dark brown hair cropped close to his scalp and piercing blue eyes that scanned the room as he stepped inside, one hand resting atop the sheathed katana at his side. Despite the moniker of 'the Immortal' he'd picked up years ago, his unassuming appearance would make him difficult to pick out of a crowd.

Cor's lips twitched faintly in approval at the blades still held in Ignis' and Gladio's hands, only to return to his usual stoic expression when his eyes fell on Noctis lying in the far bed. "A few daemons aren't reason enough for me to shirk my duty to the Crown," he stated, matter of fact. "Especially not when it concerns that last of the line of Lucis."

"Of course," Ignis replied, bowing his head as he accepted the subtle rebuke.

"This is Doctor Vincent Hayes," Cor continued, gesturing to his companion. "He was his highness' personal physician until a few years ago."

Vincent was an older gentleman, his thinning hair a light shade of gray with hazel eyes visible over his half-moon spectacles. He was wearing faded brown pants and a plain button up shirt with a worn canvas bag slung over one shoulder. The stethoscope hanging around his neck was the only thing about him that indicated 'medical professional.' He was short but lean, his appearance belying his strong grip when he shook Ignis' hand. "Good to see you again Ignis, Gladiolus," he greeted with a smile.

"It has been awhile doctor," Ignis agreed as Gladio nodded his own greeting.

"Doctor, this is Prompto Argentum," Cor said, motioning to the blond standing next to the table. "The newest addition to his highness' personal Crownsguard."

"Um, hi," Prompto said, giving a small wave.

"Now that introductions are out of the way, has there been any change in his condition?" the marshal continued, directing his question to Ignis.

"None."

Cor nodded, turning to Vincent. "Doctor?"

"I'd like to give his highness a thorough examination," he said, moving over to set his bag on the unoccupied bed while pulling the stethoscope from around his neck. "Would you all mind stepping outside please?"

The others nodded, exiting the room and moving to sit at one of the picnic tables along the edge of the parking lot. While the marshal again went over the particulars of what happened with Ignis, Prompto couldn't help but stare at the car parked nearby- presumably Cor's.

It was a dark shade of either blue or gray, the grill proclaiming it was made by Tirgum Castle though Prompto couldn't guess the year or model. It was obviously not of Crown City make and while the blond idly wondered what happened to Cor's own car- or if he even had one -the complete lack of damage to said vehicle was what had caught his attention.

He leaned over, nudging Gladio's arm. "Do you think Cor ran into any daemons on the way here?" he asked quietly.

Gladio blinked at the blond, having been listening to the other conversation. He took a second to process the question before shrugging. "Probably. The sun set two hours ago," he answered.

"But he doesn't have so much as a dent in his car!"

"He probably pulled over to fight instead of trying to sneak past them," Gladio said, shrugging again.

"Well, yeah, but we mainly come across iron giants on the road- I know Cor's an incredible fighter, but do you think he could take on one of those?" the blond pressed.

Gladio considered the question, folding his arms across his chest. "I'm not sure if he could or not," he mused after a moment or two. "But I wouldn't be willing to bet against him."

"But against an iron giant? By _himself?_ "

"Gladio," Cor said, getting the pair's attention. "You and Prompto will stay here with his highness and Dr. Hayes tomorrow."

"Understood," the Shield said, nodding.

Prompto noticed the advisor hadn't been included in that statement. "What about Ignis?" he asked.

Cor looked at him for several seconds, as if silently asking if the blond had been paying attention. Prompto did his best not to shrink back into his seat. "Ignis and I will be heading back to the royal tomb," the marshal stated. "So we can try to figure out what may have happened to Prince Noctis."

Prompto nodded, not trusting himself to keep his foot out of his mouth if he opened it again.

Cor waited a few seconds to see if there were any more questions. When none were forth coming, he continued. "I'm going to get something to eat before the diner closes," he said, standing and heading towards the Crow's Nest. He paused after a few steps, turning to look back at the blond. "In answer to your question, Prompto, I actually ran across two iron giants on the way here, though not at the same time."

Gladio chuckled as Prompto flushed in embarrassment. Ignis just shook his head at the pair.

Cor hadn't yet returned from the diner when Vincent beckoned the others back inside the motel room. He closed the door behind them before moving to sit in one of the upholstered chairs. "I'm afraid his highness has been infected with the scourge," he informed them quietly.

"The scourge?" Ignis repeated, shocked. "Are you certain?"

Vincent nodded. "Yes, there's no mistaking it."

"But doesn't the Crystal protect the royal line from the scourge, or something like that?" Prompto asked.

"I guess those were just rumors," Gladio grunted, leaning against the wall and folding his arms across his chest as he stared unseeingly at the floor. "Or the Crystal has to be in Lucian hands for that to work and the Empire's got it now."

The doctor shook his head. "I don't know how those rumors got started, but they aren't true. The royal line can still be infected, though they do to have some innate defense against it," he stated. "His highness was able to stop the scourge spreading on his own last time."

"What?" Ignis asked, jerking his head up to meet Vincent's gaze. "What do you mean, 'last time?'"

The doctor blinked at Ignis, brow furrowing slightly in confusion before clearing in realization. "Oh, I suppose you both would have been too young at the time," he mused, stroking his chin pensively.

"Too young for what?" Prompto asked, leaning forward slightly in his chair.

"To have been privy to confidential information regarding his highness' condition," Vincent remarked offhandedly. "This isn't the first time Prince Noctis has been infected with the scourge," he informed them.

Though he had been expecting it, the words being said out loud still caught Ignis by surprise. He just stared at the doctor in disbelief for several seconds before taking a deep breath in an effort to regain his composure. "When?" he asked, his voice carefully neutral.

"It was kept quiet, so as to not panic the populace," Vincent explained. "Prince Noctis was infected when he was eight and he was in a coma for a week. Whether from the trauma of the attack that led to the infection or the scourge itself, I couldn't say, but when he woke it stopped spreading. I remember King Regis being surprised the boy hadn't been able to rid himself of it completely, but attributed it to his young age."

"Eight?" Ignis thought back over what he remembered of Noct's childhood, trying to figure out how he could have been infected. "The marilith," he murmured, eyes widening slightly as the pieces clicked into place. With a daemon managing to not only get through the Wall, but also attack and very nearly kill the Crown Prince, he could understand why the affliction was kept quiet. News of the scourge on top of everything else- especially with the rumors about the royal family's supposed immunity -might have set off mass hysteria inside the Crown City.

The doctor nodded. "In any case, I'm inclined to believe this coma is his body's way of fighting against it- shutting down all non-essential functions and allowing it to focus on eliminating the infection instead," he explained.

"So he should wake up in a week then?" Gladio asked, meeting the doctor's eyes.

"Possibly. Or he could wake up in the next five minutes." Vincent shrugged, shaking his head. "The few mentions we could find of past kings being inflicted with the scourge were little more than footnotes. Information on the subject is essentially non-existent."

The conversation was interrupted by a sharp rap on the door, the action more to announce his presence than ask admittance as Cor entered the room. His sharp eyes took in the solemn expressions all around, judging the news to be bad but not as much as he had feared. He stepped over to the table, handing a take-out box to Vincent. "Your diagnosis?" he asked.

The doctor graciously accepted the food, leaning back slightly to meet Cor's gaze. "It's the scourge."

The marshal's expression didn't change, a quick blink the only sign of his surprise. His eyes slid to the still figure lying on the bed as his mind quickly reviewed everything he could remember from Noct's childhood affliction. "Relapse or new onset?" he asked.

Vincent sighed, opting to open the box of takeout on his lap rather than scoot his chair closer to the table. "I'd guess new onset, as the scars on his back aren't showing any sign of it," he said, ripping open the bag holding a plastic fork and knife. "However, it's progressing much more quickly than the last time. If he fell unconscious last night, then it has spread further in the last twenty-four hours than it did in a _week_ before."

Cor's eyes narrowed slightly in thought as he shifted his attention back to the group, idly noting the surprise on the faces of the three younger men. Clearly, the doctor hadn't gotten that far in the discussion yet. "Do you believe his exposure as a child weakened his defense against it?" he asked.

"It's possible," Vincent conceded, cutting up the fish fillet with his knife. "Although the lack of any wounds for the scourge to seep into is concerning as well. I can't determine how he was infected in the first place."

The marshal blinked again, brows furrowing slightly in uncertainty. "It was my understanding that not all cases stem from being wounded by a daemon," he said.

The doctor nodded. "That's true, a small percentage of reported cases have no discernable cause," he agreed, taking a bite of his meal. He took a second or two to enjoy it- their hurried exodus hadn't allowed time for dinner -before swallowing and continued. "However, this would be the first I've heard it happening on this continent."

"The timing could be coincidental..." Ignis said slowly, not sounding like he believed it himself.

"Or it could not," Gladio pointed out. "Noct just happening to be infected with the scourge as soon as he claimed another Royal Arm?" He snorted. "That timing's just a bit too perfect for me."

Cor's mouth settled in a grim line. There were too many differences and incongruities for him to believe this was a typical infection of the scourge. If it was some sort of curse as Ignis had suggested earlier, then there was a chance that not even the oracle could heal it, should the prince fail to overcome it on his own. If that happened... Cor shook his head, derailing that train of thought. It would serve no purpose dwelling on 'what ifs' right now. First, they needed more information.

"Ignis and I will head out at first light," Cor announced. "Prompto will room with Ignis and myself two doors down. Gladio, you and Dr. Hayes will sleep here and continue monitoring his highness," he instructed. He glanced up at the clock on the wall, not surprised it was nearing midnight. "Get some rest," he suggested, turning to go. "We've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

 **-LINK BREAK-**

It didn't take the prince and his guide long to find the stairs and, though they were thankfully daemon free, Noctis was out of breath and panting by the time he reached the top. He wearily sank down on the top step to rest, the muscles in his legs burning.

Carbuncle stood at his side, not even having the decency to look a little bit tired after the long climb. In fact, Noctis would go so far as to say the fox looked downright _pleased_ as he stared at the prince, breathing heavily and leaning against the wall. Noctis wasn't sure what was so amusing- even _Gladio_ would be winded after _that_ many stairs.

"What's that look for?" Noctis demanded after he'd managed to catch his breath, glaring balefully at the fox. "It's a long climb and I'm tired. Surely it's not _that_ amusing."

Carbuncle shook his head. " _It's not amusing at all_ ," the fox assured him, his canine grin belying his words. " _You being tired is a very good sign._ "

Noctis stared at his guide incredulously. "What?"

" _It means you're not disassociated from reality,_ " Carbuncle explained. " _With the scourge trying to take over, you need all the advantages you can get._ "

"...you lost me."

Carbuncle hummed thoughtfully, sitting down as he thought of the best way to explain it. " _Some of the differences between now and when you were a child are because you had completely withdrawn into your mind. That's why you were in a coma for so long- I had to wait until you were complete disassociated from reality before I approached you._ "

"Why?"

" _It was the only way for you to get out. Being completely detached from reality, you sub-consciously treated it as a dream,_ " he explained, his tail twitching forward and wrapping around his forelegs. " _And you knew that, even though they may be scary, dreams can't hurt you._ "

"Except that it could," Noctis pointed out.

" _True_ ," Carbuncle conceded. " _But you wouldn't have made it past the first daemon had you believed otherwise. Eight years old, with only a basic knowledge of swordplay, and your last memory being the marilith attack? You would have been too paralyzed by fear to even try to summon a weapon, let alone use it against a daemon._ " He flinched at the poor phrasing, belatedly remembering that upon waking, Noctis had discovered he was paralyzed from the waist down. " _Sorry,_ " he apologized.

"So I couldn't have made it through _without_ being disassociated last time," Noctis summed up.

" _Pretty much_ ," the fox agreed. " _Though there were some draw backs- your mind was all over the place, which is why we had to go through three separate portals before we found the way out._ "

"Alright, so why is _not_ being disassociated a good thing this time?"

" _You bonded a daemon to your_ _ **soul**_ ," Carbuncle said seriously. " _You're going to have to kill it, or at least destroy the link. You can't do that if you believe it's just a figment of your imagination._ "

"I guess that kind of makes sense," Noctis said slowly. "But how is getting tired a good sign?"

" _You and I ran around for_ _ **hours**_ _trying to find the portals last time. Not once did you complain of being tired, hungry or thirsty._ " The fox gave him another canine grin, tongue lolling. " _Now you're gasping like a fish out of water after climbing a few stairs._ "

"Three flights is more than _a few_ stairs," the prince pointed out indignantly.

Carbuncle shrugged, unrepentant.

Noctis muttered a few choice words under his breath. "Whatever, let's just get going already," he said, pushing himself to his feet and moving toward the door.

The stairwell opened into a large antechamber, several padded benches and chairs arranged artfully near the center of the room. A decorative stone garden lined the perimeter of the chamber, several glass walkways bridging the gap between the tile and every door into the room. They were raised slightly so as to not disturb the delicate lines drawn in the sand visible beneath.

The wall on one side of the room had three sets of elevators doors while the other was made up entirely of windows, granting a spectacular view of the Crown City. The double-door to the throne room between them was large and intimidating, the wall on either side of it lined with paintings depicting Lucis' long and proud history.

The grandeur of the room was lost on the prince as he stepped inside, the view from the windows drawing his attention. The city was brightly lit against the backdrop of the night sky, the lights from the buildings and streetlamps creating a warm glow over the capital. Even the stars were muted by comparison, only the brightest visible through the shimmering Wall protecting the Crown City.

"That's weird," Noctis muttered, staring out across the cityscape. "Wasn't it still daylight when we got here?" he asked, turning to the fox. "It shouldn't be that late already. Or does time pass differently here because it's basically just a dream?"

Carbuncle glanced out the window, going completely still at the sight. " _That's not good- it shouldn't be spreading this quickly._ " The voice that came through the headset was quiet- almost whispering -and clearly worried.

"What do you mean?" Noctis asked as he glanced back out the window, eyes searching for anything amiss. "What's spreading?"

" _The scourge!_ " Carbuncle spun to face him, his entire body thrumming with nervous energy. " _We've got to hurry, Noct! Who knows what nasties it'll send after us now that it's after dark!_ "

Noctis had faced his fair share of powerful daemons, barely walking away from more than a few fights and that was with his Crownsguard backing him up. A solo fight against anything of that caliber could only end badly for him. Without hesitation he moved swiftly toward the throne room, throwing the doors open wide.

Black tile gleamed in the lamps attached to the decorative stone pillars along the edges of the room, each column spaced about twenty feet apart and five feet from the wall. An ornate chandelier hung from the vaulted ceiling and stained glass windows lined the walls, the night sky beyond leaving them dark and lifeless. Steps at the far side of the room led to a raised dais where those seeking an audience could address the king. A curved staircase on either side of the platform provided access to the high-backed throne, looking down on all who might be assembled in the room.

Noctis didn't even pause as he entered, jogging quickly across the large room with Carbuncle right on his heels. "If I'm right, it should be somewhere around here," he said, taking the steps up to the raised dais two at the time and scanning the area. "Will it look the same as last time?"

" _Probably not- this is your mind and you've changed a lot since you were a kid._ " Carbuncle trotted across the platform, sniffing along the floor as he went. " _You should recognize it when you see it, though._ "

"Just great," Noctis sighed, not seeing anything out of the ordinary. A few long strides carried him to the curved staircase, quickly making his way up to the throne. He stopped near the ornate chair, blinking down at the floor in front of it. "Uh, Carbuncle...?" he called, getting the fox's attention as he continued staring at what was on the ground.

A large round panel was protruding up from the floor. It was covered with a simple design, a solid circle in the very center with a smaller circle on either side about midway between it and the edge. Two thin lines looped around the larger circle in the middle while a thicker line went around the outer edge of the panel, making it look vaguely like a target. The entire design was glowing with a soft white light.

The fox quickly made his way to the prince, claws clicking softly against the tile. " _Hey, isn't that one of those exit panels you came across in Costlemark Tower?_ "

"Yeah," Noctis agreed, nodding. "But those transported us outside after the entrance was sealed- and I don't really want to climb all the way back up here if this drops us on the steps outside the Citadel."

Carbuncle hummed thoughtfully. " _I suppose it's possible that it might do that,_ " he conceded after a few seconds. " _But I kind of doubt it. I mean, those things got you out of the dungeon- they didn't take you back to the center and make you climb out again._ "

"I...suppose," Noctis said slowly, hesitantly moving closer to the device. He glanced from the portal to Carbuncle and back again. "I hope you're right," he sighed, stepping forward. Just before his foot landed on the panel something grabbed the back of his jacket, roughly jerking him off his feet. The prince cried out in surprise as he was whisked up into the air, limbs flailing uselessly against his captor as he was swiftly borne back down the stairs and across the room.

Managing to free his arms from the sleeves of his jacket, Noctis let himself fall to the floor, immediately rolling to the side so as to not be trampled by whatever had grabbed him. He wasted no time regaining his feet, summoning his daggers to his hands as he turned to face his foe.

It was a giant snake with a vaguely female human head, light glistening off her oddly wet scales. Long dark hair hung down, tangled and dripping, with beads and other trinkets woven into the matted locks. A horned helmet with a small skull embedded in the front crowned her head, serving as a headband to keep the hair out of her face. Large milky eyes studied the prince, his jacket still dangling from her jagged teeth.

The naga opened her mouth, letting the clothing fall to the floor as she began to speak. The words were guttural and garbled, filled with grunts and hisses. It was completely unintelligible to Noct's ears, but the meaning behind the words seemed to appear in his mind as she spoke.

" **Why do you fight against us?** " she asked, her long tail coiling beneath her. " **We're only trying to help you.** "

" _Don't listen to her, Noct!_ " Carbuncle was growling, fur raised as he bared his teeth at the snake.

"I don't need your help," Noctis stated firmly, keeping his daggers up in a ready position as he edged toward the daemon's right.

The snake watched, amused as Noctis tried to move so she wasn't between him and the throne. " **You do,** " she insisted, scales scraping across the tile as she cut him off. " **So weak, so fragile- we can make you strong.** " She flicked her tail, breaking through one of the stone pillars. " **Strong enough to crush all who oppose you.** "

Noctis grit his teeth as she blocked his path, backing off a few steps. He flinched slightly as she casually destroyed the column, reminding himself to avoid the tail at all costs. "And how would you do that?" he asked, stalling until he could figure out a way past her.

The naga's lips drew back in a smile, exposing rows of sharp teeth as she swayed back and forth like a cobra watching its prey. " **By making you one of us.** "

"Sorry, but I don't think scales would be a good look for me," Noctis replied, edging backward. If she'd just stop moving, he could warp past her and make a run for it. "And I'm rather fond of walking around in the sunlight."

The snake screeched angrily, as if the very mention of sunlight infuriated her. " **You have no choice!** " she shrieked, rising up to almost a third of her total length.

Noctis braced himself, ready to warp out of the way when she tried to flatten him underneath her. To his surprise, the daemon's body instead became fluid and transparent, turning and diving straight down into the floor. She disappeared with a splash, vanishing beneath the tiles.

"Since when can daemons do _that?!_ " Noctis demanded, pointing a dagger at where the naga had disappeared.

Carbuncle was already sprinting across the floor. " _Never mind, just run before she comes back!_ "

Though he was still a little freaked out by the disappearing act, Noctis followed the fox's lead, his boots pounding against the tile as he sprinted back toward the throne. He'd almost made it back to the steps when he noticed a few spurts of water shooting up through the cracks in the tiles all around him.

Noctis realized what was happening a split second before the naga emerged, using her head as a battering ram and knocking him straight up in the air. Before he could get his bearings and warp safely to the ground, the snake spun around and smacked him with her tail.

Noctis was sent flying across the room, crashing painfully against one of the stone pillars and falling in a crumpled heap on the floor. Agony coursed through him, his dazed mind trying to comprehend what had happened.

It wasn't long before the curative effects of a potion washed over Noctis, healing the worst of his wounds and bringing coherent thought back with it. The stale taste of the magic told him the potion was from Ignis' personal stash.

Each morning, the advisor had Noctis enhance four or five potions for his personal use- a practice that had started shortly after they'd left the Crown City. Ignis was very good at keeping an eye on everyone in the heat of battle. The potions allowed him to help their comrades when Noctis was otherwise engaged- or, like now, too incoherent to help himself.

The prince gratefully accepted the offered hand, letting Ignis pulled him to his feet. Words of gratitude died on his lips as he got a good look at the advisor's face- or rather, the lack thereof. The eyes, mouth and nose were all missing, smooth skin stretching over the dips and contours of the face, though his head was turned slightly as if he were looking directly at Noctis. It was downright unnerving.

"Carbuncle," Noctis called, staring wide-eyed at the disfigured form of his advisor as he slowly backed away. "Why doesn't he have a face?!"

The fox appeared at Noct's side, looking up at him in confusion. " _Why would he? He's part of you._ " He didn't sound bothered by the lack of facial features in the slightest.

"What does _that_ mean?!" Noctis demanded, chancing a glance down at the fox as the doppelganger turned as if to keep an eye on the naga. A set of daggers, identical to Noct's own, appeared in his hands. The snake seemed content to watch them for the moment, keeping herself between them and the portal at the base of the throne.

Carbuncle blinked up at Noctis, as if not sure what the problem was. " _People say eyes are the window to the soul, but that's not entirely accurate,_ " he explained. " _Eyes are the most expressive facial feature, but it can be difficult to read without cues from the rest of the face as well._ "

"Great, so why doesn't he have one?" Noctis pressed. "You don't seem worried, so I'm guessing he's not another daemon, but _that's not normal!_ "

" _It's a construct_ _ **you**_ _created of Ignis from your memories,_ " Carbuncle stated patiently, as if explaining a simple concept to a child. " _A figment of you, a part of your mind. It will act like you think Ignis would because that's what you created it to do, but it doesn't have its own thoughts and feelings- its own soul. It has no need of a face._ " His gaze slid to the sandy-haired advisor, seemingly unbothered by the conversation. " _Trust me, no face is much better than the alternative. Besides, you're not focusing on what's really important here- like what to do about that snake._ "

Noctis stared at the fox for a few seconds before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. Carbuncle was right. The altered appearance of his advisor, though unsettling, had no bearing on the current situation. "Alright," he said after he'd regained his composure, stepping up beside the Ignis-clone. "I need to get to that portal and this snake is in my way. Chances of my being able to get around it?"

" _Unlikely, given it can move through the floor,_ " Carbuncle pointed out. " _And it already snatched you right off the portal once._ " The Ignis-clone nodded in agreement.

Noctis took another deep breath, letting it out slowly. "We do this the hard way then." He summoned a great sword, drawing back his arm and chucking it with all his strength at the daemon. He warped along the weapon's path, grabbing the hilt just before it hit the snake and adding his own momentum to the strike. The naga screamed as the sword bit deep, the force of the blow knocking her onto her back.

Noctis dismissed the great sword in favor of his daggers, hoping the lighter weapons would allow him to deal more damage before she recovered. He slashed at her belly as she writhed, his blades leaving shallow marks on the scales but unable to pierce the armored hide. He jumped back as she managed to right herself, flipping over the tail as it swiped at him before the Ignis-clone drew her attention, allowing the prince to get out of range.

"Well that didn't work as well as I'd hoped," Noctis muttered, stopping once he'd reached a safe distance. He studied the snake as the clone also backed off, looking for any weak points to exploit. The eyes were the obvious targets, but she was just too fast for him to be able to hit them and an ill-timed warp would leave him exposed and at her mercy in midair. He needed some way to slow her down.

" _That daemon can swallow you whole!_ " Carbuncle pointed out. " _Did you really think a frontal assault was the best plan of attack?_

Noctis ignored the fox as the snake lifted herself straight up in the air again, giving him an idea. "Ignis!"

The doppelganger held up a black orb with blue energy pulsing through the cracks, as if he had read Noct's mind...which, given what he was, wasn't all that farfetched. He crushed the orb in his hand as Noctis ran to him, the two of them bumping fists and transferring the raw energy of the ice spell from the clone to the prince.

Noctis spun back to the naga, ice coating his hands and extending out along his daggers when he summoned them. The snake had just finished turning fluid once more, twisting back to disappear into the floor. Noctis threw his dagger and warped, catching the hilt just before it reached the daemon and fully releasing the spell as the blade entered the liquid form.

The ice spread quickly, cutting off the naga's scream as the entire snake froze solid, its head partway through the floor already. Not wasting any more time, Noctis threw a dagger straight up in the air, warping to get the height he needed before switching to his great sword and bringing it down in a two-handed blow.

The ice shattered beneath his blade, chunks flying in all directions and scattering across the room. Noctis stood there for a moment, breathing heavily but keeping his weapon at the ready in case that wasn't enough to kill it. "Is that it?" he asked after he'd calming his breathing, marginally relaxing his hold on the sword. "Is it dead?"

The Ignis-clone walked over to him, seemingly studying the prince's handiwork before turning and nodding to him approvingly. Noctis blinked in surprise as the color and solidity seemed to fade from the doppelganger, leaving a glowing blue outline of the advisor in its place. It looked startlingly similar to the after-image Noctis himself left behind when he warped, according to the perfectly timed photo Prompto had managed to shoot of the phenomena during battle. After a few more seconds it too faded away, leaving no trace of the clone's presence behind.

" _I'd say that's a yes,_ " Carbuncle chirped, circling Noct's feet to sniff at the frozen remains. He sneezed, shaking his head sharply as he backed away. " _Anyway, now that the snake's out of the way, we'd better hurry to that portal- before anything else pops out of the woodwork._ "

"Yeah," Noctis agreed, dismissing his sword. He quickly made his way back up to the throne and the panel sitting in front of it. The naga's presence had all but confirmed this was where he needed to go. Without hesitation the prince stepped onto the panel, a tugging sensation similar to warping encompassing his entire body as his world was swallowed in black.

 **To Be Continued**

If you'd like a response to your review, sign in before hand.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Gladio's eyes snapped open, the sound of metal on metal outside ripping his mind from slumber. His gaze immediately sought out the other occupants of the room as he stood from the chair he'd been sleeping in. The light spilling in around the curtains provided enough illumination for him to make out Noctis' still form in one bed while his doctor slept in the other, blissfully unaware of what was happening outside. Having verified the room was safe- for the moment -Gladio quickly moved to the window, grabbing his sword from where it was leaning against the wall.

The brunet carefully twitched aside the edge of the curtain, wanting to see what was happening without drawing attention to himself. He cursed softly as he saw two MTs some distance away advancing toward Cor, who flicked the broken remains of the third humanized robot off his katana. The Empire had found them.

Gladio dropped the curtain as a key turned in the lock to their room, positioning himself behind the door and raising his sword.

The streetlights briefly illuminated Ignis' profile as he stepped inside, Prompto following behind and quietly closing the door. Ignis turned on his phone, using it's light to brighten the room, though he was careful to keep it pointed down and away from the window. "Gladio?" he questioned quietly, not seeing the Shield.

"Here," Gladio responded, lowering his sword and stepping away from the door. "I'm guessing Cor doesn't want any help?"

Ignis shook his head. "He feels it's for the best if we remain unseen, if at all possible," he explained, moving over to the doctor and shaking his shoulder.

"What? What is it?" Vincent asked groggily as he woke, his hand fumbling for his glasses on the nightstand.

"I'm afraid the Empire has found us," Ignis informed him quietly. "The Marshal received word of an MT drop ship heading to our location and is currently outside dealing with it. We'll need to leave as soon as possible."

The doctor nodded, climbing out of bed and managing to locate and slip on his shoes as Ignis began gathering up their own meager possessions by the light of his phone, ever mindful of the window. Gladio pulled on his own boots before taking the blankets off Noctis and doing the same for him.

Prompto was helping the brunet slip the prince's flaccid arms through the sleeves of his jacket when Cor entered the room, flipping on the light as he did so. The Marshal's eyes roved over the group as they flinched away from the sudden illumination, pleased to see they were just about ready to go though his expression didn't change. "I took care of the scouting party, but we need to leave before the main force arrives. Given the timing, I can only assume I was seen on my way here. I'll try to lead them away, cause a distraction, while you three lie low with the prince until I contact you. Unfortunately you'll have to travel by chocobo," he stated, cutting right to the chase.

All three of them looked a little surprised. "Why?" Prompto asked, forgetting his awe of the Marshal for a moment. "I mean, wouldn't it be better to use the car to transport Noct?"

"I believe the car is how they found me," Cor explained, his gaze settling on the youngest of the group. "If I was seen leaving the city, they'll know what I was driving- and who I was with." He turned his attention to the older man sitting on the bed. "I'm sorry, doctor, but I'll need you to come with me. We need to make this look like a stop along the way to somewhere else, not our destination."

Vincent didn't meet his eyes, picking his bag up from the floor and setting it next to him on the bed. "I understand," he said softly.

Cor nodded, turning back to the others. "Prompto, I want you to go get the chocobos ready."

"Yes, sir!" Prompto moved to Ignis, the advisor handing over enough gil to cover the rental before the blond all but ran out the door.

"Doctor, please go over any pertinent information concerning his highness' condition with Ignis," Cor continued, acutely aware their window to escape was steadily closing. "Gladio, we'll discuss where you'll be heading. Where's your map?"

They all moved to obey the orders, Gladio retrieving the map and spreading it on the table for Cor while Ignis joined Vincent at Noct's side.

"Generally the treatment consists of pain management and making the patient as comfortable as possible until he or she can meet with the oracle," the doctor explained, moving the sides of Noct's jacket out of the way and lifting his shirt. "However, as the former isn't an issue and the latter isn't feasible, I'm afraid there isn't much you can do but keep an eye on how fast the scourge is spreading."

Ignis' eyes widened, his mouth falling open slightly as he saw the prince's chest. It looked like a pane of shattered glass, like someone had taken a black pen and drawn the image across the ashen flesh. The epicenter was solid black, a patch two-three inches wide in the middle of his chest with the 'cracks' expanding out around it, seeming to be following the veins beneath the skin. A rough blue line had been drawn around the entire thing, circling an inch or so inside the furthest points.

The advisor couldn't help the soft gasp that escaped him as the black lines pulsed faintly with a dark energy, seemingly keeping time with the prince's heart. The pulsating mass was disturbing on more than one level and didn't resemble anything Ignis had seen on victims of the scourge before. "Is that...normal?" he asked, unable to tear his eyes from the throbbing lines spreading across Noct's chest.

"It seems to be for him," Vincent replied, looking at the marks with a critical eye. "It looked the same when he was child, though those were extending out from the wounds on his back- and it never spread this far or this quickly." He reached into his bag and pulled out a blue marker.

"What are you doing?" Ignis asked.

"Marking how much farther it's spread," Vincent replied, using the marker to carefully circle around the outer edges. "I drew this one when I examined him last night," he explained, pointing to the other circle. "This will allow us to track how fast it's expanding."

Ignis nodded, understanding the purpose but not liking the connotations. He checked his watch. The doctor had arrived around ten the night before and it was now a little after three in the morning. He quickly calculated the time, realizing the marks had spread almost an inch in the last five hours.

"You may as well hang onto this," Vincent said, passing the marker to Ignis once he'd finished. "Mark it every few hours and note the time. The scourge seems to make him run cold, so do your best to keep him warm. I don't like the idea of moving him, but it'll be even worse if the Empire were to find him," he continued, pulling the prince's shirt back down and zipping up his jacket.

"Understood."

"One last thing," the doctor said, hesitating slightly. "This may be a new symptom or perhaps it just hadn't progressed this far last time, but..." He sighed, shaking his head. "In all my years as a medical professional, I've never seen anything like this. I just don't know what to make of it."

"What is it?" Ignis asked, not sure he truly wanted to know the answer.

Vincent stepped up to the head of the bed, beckoning Ignis closer as he gently lifted Noct's left eyelid. Ignis drew a startled breath, his own eyes widening. Noct's storm blue iris had been replaced with a vivid yellow, so bright it almost seemed to glow with an inner light. The area around it had turned black, bleeding into and slowly overtaking the sclera.

The doctor blinked in surprise, quickly digging into his bag and pulling out a penlight which he moved across prince's eye several times. The large iris made the eye look even more nightmarish than before as the pupil contracted, but otherwise responded normally to the light. Letting the lid close, Vincent checked the other eye, relieved to find it was still Noct's natural color.

"The outer edge of the iris was still clearly blue last night," the doctor explained, slipping the light back into his bag. "I don't know what would cause it to change color- or turn the sclera _black_ \- but I don't like it one bit." He sighed, shaking his head. "I've never seen anything like it before."

Ignis had- at least, he'd seen daemons with glowing eyes shining out of black sclerae. However, what connection there might be between those creatures and Noct's ailment, he had no idea. The scourge may be a terminal condition if left untreated, but it did not create daemons.

"Chocobos are ready and waiting," Prompto announced, poking his head in through the door. "Although the guy at the rental wasn't too happy about the early hour..."

"Time to head out," Cor stated, picking up and refolding the map on the table before handing it to Gladio.

The brunet nodded, slipping the map into his pocket before stepping over to the bed and lifting the prince. Ignis retrieved their belongings, following Gladio outside. The advisor was a bit surprised to see four chocobos ready to go, belatedly realizing he'd automatically handed Prompto the usual amount for rentals. He sighed softly, knowing they didn't have time to return the bird, and moved to tie the bag onto its back instead. No point in any of them carrying it when they had a mount that wasn't being used.

Soon they were all mounted and ready to go, Gladio taking the first turn carrying Noctis. "I don't need to remind you that Prince Noctis' safety is your top priority," Cor stated, meeting each of their gazes. "Stay out of sight and wait for me to contact you."

"Yes, Sir," Gladio acknowledged while Ignis and Prompto nodded.

"Be careful out there," Cor continued, stepping away from the chocobos. "And good luck."

"You as well, Marshal," Ignis returned, turning his chocobo and following Gladio's lead out of town along the northern road.

The road led to a tunnel cut through the mountain, its interior well-lit though not with bright enough lights to keep the daemons away. The group rode as fast as they dared, making use of the light while they had it and putting as much distance between themselves and Taelpar as they could.

They rode in tense silence for a few minutes before Prompto decided to speak up. "So, Ignis," he started, urging his chocobo faster and pulling even with the sandy-haired man, "I know Cor told us to lay low, but how are we gonna do that? I mean, they're gonna be watching all the towns nearby, right?"

"I assume the Marshal took that into account when discussing our destination with Gladio," Ignis replied, raising his voice slightly so the Shield could hear and directing his next words to him. "Where are we headed, exactly?"

"A royal tomb."

"What?" Prompto looked a little surprised at the answer. "Uh, I know Cor wanted Noct to go around and gather his ancestors powers, but don't you think that could wait until... You know..."

Gladio shook his head. "We've already been to this one," he tossed over his shoulder.

Ignis looked thoughtful. "Deserted, secluded, sheltered from the elements... Yes, I do believe that would be an ideal location to weather this storm," he agreed.

Prompto could see the logic of hiding out in the tomb, but the idea still didn't sit well with him. Depending on how things went on Cor's end, they could end up staying there for a couple of days. "So, we're gonna set up camp with a dead guy...in his crypt. Great." His tone was less than enthused. "Not really what I had in mind when I agreed to come on this road trip..."

Gladio shifted slightly in the saddle, readjusting his hold on Noctis. A lot had happened since leaving the Crown City that none of them had signed up for. He briefly thought of pointing that out, but dismissed the idea almost immediately. The kid was scared- they all were -and whining seemed to be his coping method of choice. "You got a better idea?" he asked, keeping his tone light.

"What about a haven?" the blond suggested. "Those things are all over the place, right?"

"Not according to the map."

"Not to mention," Ignis interjected, "all of our equipment is still deep within the Daurell Caverns."

A dark smear on the road some yards ahead of them caught Gladio's attention, growing larger as his eyes focused on it. "Hold up!" he called, tightening his arm around the prince and leaning back in the saddle as he jerked back on the reigns. The chocobo's clawed feet skidded across the asphalt as it flared its wings, drastically slowing its momentum. As the bird came to a stop, ruffling its feathers slightly, a crouching figure rose up out of the black substance pooling on the road.

It was human in shape alone, with dark hair pulled back into a high ponytail on the back of the bowed head. A dark blue kimono hung on thin shoulders, gaping open to reveal thick lines of upraised scar tissue covering most of the daemon's chest. Woven straw sandals scrapped on the ground as he rose to his full height, the black substance vanishing beneath him. One hand rested casually in the crook between his side and the sheath sticking up through the sash tied around his waist, while the other drew the katana, carelessly leaning the naked blade against his shoulder. The ronin finally raised his headed, revealing his mangled face. The skin over the lower half of the face looked like it had been melted and re-solidified, completely obliterating his nose and mouth. Bright yellow eyes surveyed them grimly as a second ronin rose from another portal a few feet behind the first.

Ignis pulled his chocobo to a stop in front of Gladio's, quickly dismounting and drawing his daggers as the Shield struggled to maneuver both himself and the prince off their own bird. The daemon's eyes locked onto the advisor, his stance deceptively relaxed as he casually sauntered toward the sandy-haired man. Well aware of how quickly the ronin could strike, Ignis met him halfway, trying to buy Gladio more time to see to Noctis before joining the fray. Steel clashed loudly as the katana hit the daggers repeatedly, the advisor deflecting the unnaturally fast strikes instead of meeting the blade head-on. The sound of gunfire told him Prompto had joined in, likely trying to distract the other daemon, though he dared not take his eyes of his opponent to check.

It didn't take long for Gladio to get both himself and the prince back on the ground, all the chocobos running ten or so yards away once the fighting started. He quickly moved to the wall of the tunnel, sitting Noctis against it so he'd be out of the way and- hopefully -out of danger.

"Gladio! Above you!" Prompto yelled.

The Shield grabbed his sword from his back and spun with it raised defensively. He had just enough time to plant his feet before the ronin all but landed on him, their blades locking in a contest of strength. Painfully aware of the defenseless prince at his feet, Gladio gathered his strength and pushed against the blade, roaring as he managed to break the stalemate and throwing the ronin back a step or two. Not giving the daemon time to recover, he followed up with several heavy-handed swings of his sword, keeping his opponent on the defensive.

A well-placed shot in the leg sent the ronin to his knees and Gladio wasted no time in bringing his own sword down in an overhead slash. The daemon rolled back away from the blow, quickly regaining his feet though the shallow slice down his chest oozing black ichor indicated he wasn't quite fast enough.

Seeing Gladio had his opponent well in hand, Prompto turned his attention back to Ignis. The advisor was holding his own, using his daggers to slip around the ronin's katana and striking at his vital points. The daemon staggered back, katana lowered to his side as ichor dripped freely onto the ground. Ignis followed his movements, aiming his blades for the daemon's heart.

Prompto saw the hand tighten around the sword's hilt, turning the blade and swinging in a wide arc the advisor wouldn't be able to avoid. Without thought he took aim and fired, two bullets lodging themselves in the ronin's shoulder. The daemon's body jerked from the impact, forcing Ignis to alter his target. The ronin's eyes widened as the long dagger pierced his neck, the force behind the blow pushing it all the way through and out the other side. The daemon swayed for several beats, managing to raise the katana as if to strike back before his body failed him and he fell to the ground, lying still. After a second or two the corpse dissolved into a dark miasma, dissipating in the night air as the dagger clattered to the asphalt.

Collecting his weapon, Ignis turned to assist Gladio with his own opponent just in time see the Shield run the daemon through with his greatsword. With another roar, the brunet ripped his blade out through the ronin's side, almost slicing him in half. He fell to the ground, disappearing in the same manor as the first.

No one moved for a second or two, their heavy breaths the only sound as they waited to see if anymore daemons would be forthcoming. "Well, that's that," Ignis breathed, carefully re-sheathing his blades. "Any injuries?"

"All good over here!" Prompto answered, putting on the safety before slipping his gun back into its holster. He quickly jogged toward the chocobos waiting patiently outside the danger zone, grabbing their reigns and leading them back to the others.

Gladio snorted, crossing his arms over his chest as if the mere thought of him being injured in battle was insulting. "Worry about yourself."

Well acquainted with Gladio's bravado, Ignis merely nodded. "Let us press on."

They continued through the tunnel for another twenty or so minutes before they reached the exit on the other side. It was a clear night, the stars twinkling in the sky while a waning gibbous moon shone down on the darkened landscape.

Ignis, who had taken point, slowed his chocobo to a walk as they left the tunnel, the others following his lead. "Keep a sharp eye," he cautioned the others, urging the bird off the road and away from the lights. "And call out at the first sign of danger."

"Wait, we're not staying on the road?" Prompto asked, suddenly nervous for a whole new reason.

"The Empire will be searching the roads," the advisor explained. "We'll keep it in sight so we don't lose our way while using the trees for cover as needed."

Prompto stared at the sparsely wooded area along the side of the road, straining his eyes to see what might be hiding in the dark shadows cast by the trees. "...and I suppose flashlights are out of the question, huh," he stated, already knowing the answer.

"Any kind of light would be like a beacon out here," Gladio answered, glancing up at the sky. "We should consider ourselves lucky- it could be a new moon instead of three-quarters full."

"Right," Prompto breathed, directing his bird to follow the other two off the road.

It didn't take too long for their eyes to adjust to the darkness, allowing them to see more of the landscape by the moon's light. It was slow going, the chocobos' poor night vision causing them to stumble often over the uneven terrain. Ignis kept the group between ten and twenty yards from the road, avoiding the open areas and denser patches of trees in equal measure.

The tunnel had long since disappeared from view when a familiar low humming caught Ignis' attention. "A magitek engine," he called, pulling his bird to a stop to hear it better. "It's close!"

The group immediately split, all three heading to the nearby trees and hiding in the shadows. It wasn't much longer than a minute before the ship came into view, hovering forty or so yards above the road with a bright spotlight illuminating the area beneath it. It was roughly rectangular in shape, the front curving down in a hatch and ramp that could open to deploy whatever troops were being carried inside. The back was lit with an ominous red glow from the engine, powered by the same blend of magic and technology used in all MT units produced by the Empire.

Prompto couldn't help holding his breath as it almost casually moved by, pulling on the reigns of the pack chocobo to urge it closer to the tree. Suddenly the twelve-ish yards he currently was from the road didn't seem like nearly far enough. They were all exposed- visible as plain as day in the incredibly bright search light and the gunman knew at any second the ship would stop and unload scores of enemy troops. He closed his eyes, praying fervently to Ramah (not Titan, because even though he and Noct were on good terms now, Prompto wasn't about to forget the Archaean trying to squash him like a bug) that the ship's sensors- or radars, cameras or whatever it used to locate enemies in place of windows -didn't pick them up.

The Fulgarian was either in a good mood or their luck was holding out because the ship just continued on by, not even slowing as it passed their position. Although there was no bolt of judgment from above- or lightning of any sort -Prompto sent a quick thanks Ramah's way just in case, figuring it was better to be safe rather than sorry. No point to risk angering one of the gods that seemed to be on their side.

Ignis waited until the spotlight had completely disappeared down the road before deciding it was safe to continue. "Alright, let's move," he said, keeping his voice quiet out of habit.

"Hold up Iggy," Gladio said, urging his chocobo over to the advisor. The break had made him realize just how hard his bird was panting, even given the slow pace. "I think it's time to switch- my chocobo's getting tired," he stated, patting the bird's flank with the hand holding the reigns. It didn't take long to transfer the prince from one chocobo to the other, Ignis taking his turn carrying their royal burden. Gladio moved their bag of supplies to his bird's back, giving it a break as he mounted the pack chocobo and took the lead once more.

The moon dropped gradually in the sky as they pressed on, skirting the edge of the increasingly dense woods. They rode in silence for the most part, opting to search for danger in the area rather than make small talk.

After the close shave with the magitek engine, Prompto focused hard on his surroundings, listening for any sign of a daemon's approach. His hearing seemed especially keen, picking up all manner of noises he couldn't identify in the dark. After twenty to thirty minutes of his imagination running wild, he was almost desperate for a distraction. "Hey, Ignis?" he asked, cringing at how loud his voice sounded in the still night air.

"Hm?"

The advisor may have turned his head slightly to indicate he was listening, though the dark made it difficult to tell for sure. Not really having anything in particular to talk about, but needing something to fill the silence, Prompto said the first thing that popped into his head. "Uh, I thought there'd be more drop ships out and about," he began, a bit hesitantly. "Do you think they found Cor?"

"I won't discount the possibility," Ignis answered after a long pause. "However they likely do not know which direction he was headed, and there is a lot of ground to cover."

"Yeah, you're probably right." He'd really been hoping the conversation would have lasted a bit longer than that.

"The better question," Ignis continued, "is whether the marshal is actually trying to lose them or merely waiting for them to catch up."

Prompto blinked in surprise. "Uh, isn't that kind of dangerous? I mean, I got the impression that there were going to be _several_ drop ships headed to Taelpar- not even _Cor_ could take on _that_ many MTs by himself!"

"They don't call him 'The Immortal' for nothing," Gladio called back, adding his two cents to the conversation. "He's got a plan."

"It is likely he would call reinforcements from the surviving members of the Crownsguard," Ignis agreed. "And the location of the confrontation would be key in determining the outcome, as well."

"So, basically don't worry is what you're saying?" Prompto summed up.

"I'm sure the marshal has things well in hand-" Ignis broke off with a startled gasp, clutching the prince tightly to his chest as his chocobo stumbled over the uneven terrain. The bird managed to catch itself, wings flapping as it regained its balance once more. Ignis let out a deep breath, shifting a bit in the saddle and re-positioning his feet in the stirrups. "It is the safety of our group that concerns me at present," he stated with a sigh.

The conversation died out again, the ambient noises of the night suddenly seeming louder in the silence. They rode on for several more minutes as the blond tried to come up with another topic that might last a bit longer. The unnatural creaking of tree branches up head- too many and too loud to be caused by the faint breeze -had him slowing his chocobo as his eyes searched for the source of the noise.

Ignis and Gladio had done the same, both on high alert. "There!" the Shield called, pointing to the upper branches of a tree ahead of them and little off to the right.

It looked like a woman, the moon illuminating her white skin and hair against the backdrop of the night sky. Her voluminous mane was pulled back and almost seemed to float on the air behind her. When it became apparent the group had seen her, she leapt from the upper branches, revealing a giant six-legged body that had been indistinguishable from the tree. The arachne landed gracefully on the ground, eyes glowing as she spun to face her prey. A gaping maw was visible beneath the human torso, seeming to be grinning as the daemon advanced.

Gladio dismounted as the spider leapt from the tree, drawing the great sword from his back as Ignis circled back around behind Prompto, putting a bit of distance between Noctis and the ensuing battle. The blond helped move the prince to the ground, pulling his gun and taking up a defensive position as Ignis hurried to join Gladio.

The brunet was slashing at the daemon with his greatsword, gritting his teeth as she caught every strike on the thick chitin covering her clawed arms. Ignis wasted no time joining in, targeting the lower joints on one of the long legs. The daemon recoiled as the daggers found their mark, turning her attention toward the advisor. Taking advantage of the opening, Gladio brought his sword down on the exposed joint where the leg connected to the body, severing one appendage completely.

The arachne screamed in pain, jumping back to put a little more distance between herself and her would-be dinner. Spotting the two not participating in the fight- one very obviously easy prey -she screamed again, changing the pitch and tone to summon her offspring to assist her.

Prompto was a bundle of nerves as he watched the fight. Though Gladio and Ignis clearly had the daemon's full attention, he felt sure something was going to sneak up on him while everyone else was distracted. "Keep it together, Prompto," he muttered, eyes continually darting all around him. His heart leapt into his throat when he saw the first shadow detach itself from a tree and start scuttling toward him.

It stepped into the moonlight, revealing a much smaller version of the arachne- about the size of a large dog -without the human torso. Beady eyes seemed to focus on the gunner- and the unconscious form at his feet -as it made a beeline for him.

Prompto didn't hesitate to fire, taking it out in two shots. He was a bit surprised as he watched the tarantula dissipate in a cloud of smoke, not realizing how much more powerful real bullets were than those created by the Crystal. His musings were cut short as more of the smaller daemons appeared, crawling down from trees and out from under rocks, all heading straight for him. "Uh, guys?" he called, firing rapidly at those closest to him and fumbling to reload his gun. "We've got a bit of a problem over here!"

Gladio glanced back, swearing when he saw the numerous spiders heading for the blond. He turned to go help, taking only a single step in that direction when Ignis called out.

"Take cover!"

The arachne, seeing her prey's distraction, shot a strand of webbing to the top of a nearby tree before leaping and swinging in a low arc around it. Her back legs held fast to the strand as she charged an electrical attack between her hands, showering the ground below her with the raw energy as she swung by.

Ignis and Gladio managed to avoid the electrical current spreading across the ground, the latter hiding behind another tree while the former dove behind a small boulder. Gladio charged the arachne once more as it landed, the daemon again blocking the blows with ease.

Ignis hesitated, eyes still dazzled by the bright energy attack. He forced himself to wait for his vision to clear, listening to Prompto's rapid gunfire and Gladio's curses with growing alarm. The fight did not seem to be going well at all. After several excruciatingly long seconds, the spots faded enough for Ignis to join in the fray once more. He stood, taking stock of their situation as he scanned the area. Prompto was barely managing to hold his own, and Gladio had the arachne's full attention though it was obvious the daemon was just toying with him.

The advisor took another second or two to analyze the situation. He knew the tarantulas, having some connection with the arachne, would perish as soon as she did so he needed to focus his efforts on bringing her down. The spider's back was to him, though the chitin covering her abdomen was too thick for his blade to penetrate. What they needed was a way to attack from below. Ignis' eyes landed on the boulders he had used for cover, an idea forming as he quickly climbed to the top. "Gladio, now!" he called, leaping onto the daemon's abdomen and plunging his dagger into the small area where it connected to the thorax.

The arachne let out a loud scream, rearing back in pain and twisting as she tried to unseat her unwelcome passenger. Gladio saw the opening and took it, planting his feet and thrusting his blade up into the thorax as the spider come back down, impaling herself on the greatsword. She shrieked again and fell to the side, writhing in agony. Not wanting to take any chances, Ignis quickly pulled his daggers free and took off her head.

The tarantulas were all but swarming Prompto, forcing him to alternately shoot the ones he could and kick the others back from the prone form at his feet while reloading. He was getting dangerously close to the end of the ammo belt when all the daemons seemed to freeze at a blood-curdling shriek from the arachne before curling up and disappearing in a black cloud of miasma. Prompto coughed a couple times as the air around him was suddenly thick with the haze, waving his arms to clear it.

"Are you two alright?" Gladio called, quickly running back the prince's side, Ignis hot on his heels.

"Yeah," Prompto answered, coughing once more as the air around them cleared. "Yeah, we're good."

Ignis scanned the skies around them, not seeing any magitek ships nearby, though it was difficult to tell with all the trees. "I think we can risk a bit of light," he said, pulling out his phone. Gladio kept a look out while the advisor gave Noctis a quick once-over, finding only a few superficial cuts and scratches. Turning off the light and sliding the phone back into his pocket, Ignis sat back on his heels, heaving a deep sigh as the adrenaline from the battle wore off. "You did an admirable job of protecting Noct, Prompto. Did you sustain any injuries yourself? Or you, Gladio?"

Prompto chuckled, a bit embarrassed at the praise as he rubbed his head. "No, I'm good." Gladio only grunted.

Ignis nodded, his eyes returning to where the arachne had died. "That could have been much worse," he stated lowly, replaying the fight in his mind. Shaking his head lightly, he turned back to the others. "Let us hope that we don't run afoul of another arachne this night."

Prompto nodded fervently in agreement, having no love of spiders- or bugs in general. Gladio clapped a large hand on his shoulder as Ignis blew the chocobo whistle, calling the birds back. "You did good, kid," the brunet said, a bit of pride in his voice.

Prompto nodded again, grateful the dark night hid the blush staining his cheeks. His week-long self-defense class paled in comparison to the years his companions had all spent training- something that was painfully obvious in battle. Gladio's praise instead of the usual 'tips' on how to improve was quite an accomplishment. "Yeah, well, I couldn't let you guys have all the fun," the blond replied, trying to play it cool.

Gladio just gave his shoulder another squeeze before helping Ignis get Noctis back onto the chocobo. "We should get moving. It's been a while since we saw that last drop ship," he stated, climbing onto his own bird.

"Which means we're likely due for another one soon," Ignis agreed. "Let us hope they are still keeping to the road at that point."

They continued on their way, using the light of the moon to pick out their path. Though the ammo belt at his waist was still a foreign sensation, the drastic reduction in weight after the battle left Prompto feeling more than a little uneasy. He bit his lip after a several minutes of silence, trying to come up with the best way to broach the subject. "I know we got a pretty early start, but how much longer before the sun comes up?" he asked, glancing up at the darkened sky.

"Shouldn't be too much longer- probably some time in the next hour or so," Gladio called back.

"And about how much longer until we get to the tomb?" he continued, idly fingering the few remaining bullets in his ammo belt.

"Not before sunrise, I can tell you that," Gladio answered. "In case you hadn't noticed, we're not exactly breaking any speed records here."

"However we should be able to pick up the pace once it starts getting light out," Ignis added.

"How far is the closest town from the tomb?" the blond asked. "You just continue down this road, right?"

"Yeah, and it's not too far- by car, anyway," Gladio stated, a bit of suspicion creeping into his tone as he glanced over his shoulder. "Probably still a good hour on chocobo, though. Why do you ask?"

"I'll, uh, need to get some more ammo before too much longer," he said hesitantly. "I've only got about ten or eleven shots left."

"What?!" Gladio jerked his head around, staring at the youngest member of their group even though he couldn't make out the gunman's features in the darkness. "I got you fifty bullets!"

Prompto blinked, taken back by the strong reaction. "Uh, yeah?" he said slowly, not sure why his actually _using_ the ammo was surprising. Although, to his knowledge, the Shield had never even fired a gun, so it was likely he had no idea how easy it was to burn through fifty bullets. "How many rounds do you think I go through in a typical battle?" he asked. "I'm trying to conserve as much as I can, but there were a _lot_ of spiders back there." And, as Noct's last line of defense, he _needed_ to be armed.

"We cannot simply walk into town, I'm afraid," Ignis interjected.

"I know- I was thinking I could head in myself, pick up what I needed and then meet back up at the tomb," Prompto explained. "I mean, they know Noct's face and probably Gladio's too, being the King's Shield and all, but me?" He shrugged. "I'm just someone he went to school with. I doubt my face is on file anywhere."

Ignis was silent for a moment, unable to argue with the blond's logic. "It would be unwise to separate while it is still dark," he stated.

"Oh, no- totally _not_ what I was suggesting!" Prompto back-peddled hastily, vehemently shaking his head. "I'd be daemon food in no time! But, once the sun comes up-"

Prompto stopped mid-sentence as a familiar, deep-throated groan cut through the night air. Craning his head around, the gunman watched a large pool of darkness form in the open area several yards behind them, enlarging at a rapid rate. A giant dark grey hand rose up out of the blackness, easily large enough to pick up the blond. The earth shook slightly as it slammed down onto the ground, granting the iron giant the purchase it needed to pull the rest of its body out.

"To the road- swiftly now!" Ignis called, clutching the prince to his chest as he wheeled the chocobo around and spurred it toward the road.

Prompto and Gladio followed quickly behind, knowing they only had a moment or two before the daemon noticed them and gave chase. They were able to pick up the pace considerably on the open road, no longer having to worry about rocks, shrubs or fallen branches in the dark.

It wasn't long before the iron giant noticed them, brandishing it's enormous sword and letting out a roar that reverberated through their chests as it stomped after them. The birds squawked in distress, the ground trembling with every pounding step the giant took. Though the daemon's legs were relatively short compared to its overly muscular body, it still ate up the distance due to its sheer size. Fortunately the chocobos were swift, managing to stay ahead of- and even pulling slightly away from -the daemon, though not fast enough for the riders.

Gladio kept close to Ignis, knowing his bird would have the hardest time maintaining the pace due to carrying two passengers. For now the adrenaline from the obvious threat behind them seemed to be enough to keep the chocobo sprinting all out. However, if the bird tired before the iron giant gave up the chase, Gladio was prepared to stay behind to buy them the time needed to escape.

After what felt like an eternity, the daemon apparently decided they weren't worth the effort and slowed to a stop, watching them as they continued on down the road. Gladio couldn't help heaving a sigh of relief, again slowing his bird slightly to match Ignis' mount's pace. It was obvious the chocobo wouldn't have made it much farther.

Well aware of his bird's difficulties, and breathing his own sigh when he no longer heard the thundering steps behind them, Ignis slowed its pace to a canter. The other two did the same, all three of them continuing on down the road.

Gladio was the first one to speak. "We should get off the road soon," he pointed out, directing his words to the advisor.

"I know," Ignis agreed tersely. "However, I should like to put a little more distance between ourselves and the daemon first and we cannot do that running blindly in the dark."

They rode for another moment or two before Ignis decided they were probably far enough. He drew a breath to inform the others, already pulling back on the reigns when he heard the low humming, gradually growing louder.

Gladio had obviously heard it too. "Take cover!" he hollered, yanking his bird's reigns to the side and spurring it toward the trees. Ignis and Prompto followed suit, the former barely making it behind a tree as the spotlight came into view.

Ignis was far too close to the road. His tired bird had only made it to a tree a scant three or so yards from the asphalt. They would be inside area illuminated by the spotlight and, though the branches would obscure them to some degree, the trunk was no where near wide enough to hide the large bird. There was no way the ship would miss them this time.

Heart pounding almost painfully in his chest, Ignis tired to consider his options as the ship slowly drew nearer. Smaller bushes and shrubbery were plentiful in the area, though none tall enough to hide a full-grown chocobo...at least, not while it was standing. He quickly gave the bird the command to lie down, holding the prince tightly and rolling them both off the chocobo's back when it sat. The tired bird quickly curled into a ball, resting its head next to its wing as Ignis laid himself and Noctis flat on the ground behind it.

The bright light engulfed the area as the ship drew even with them, shining through the leaves and illuminating the light haze of fog hanging in the air. Ignis was completely still, scarcely daring to breathe as he listened intently for any sign that they'd been found. He felt completely exposed, the spotlight flooding their hiding place with light that was blindingly bright after hours in the dark.

The hum of the engine seemed overly loud in his ears, masking all other sounds as the minutes stretched on. It was difficult to keep track of the time, but Ignis was almost certain that the ship should have moved on by now. Was that the faint hiss of the hatch being opened and the ramp lowered? He dearly wished he could sit up and see what was going on, but dared not risk exposing himself and the prince.

After what felt like an eternity, the ship slowly moved past and continued on down the road.

"That...was _terrifying_ ," Prompto breathed after the ship had disappeared, urging his chocobo over to Ignis.

"Definitely cutting it close," Gladio agreed as he joined them, shooting an accusatory look at the advisor.

Ignis ignored it, sitting up and brushing himself off. "Would you mind taking Noct for a bit?"

After the prince was relocated, Ignis moved their supplies to his tired chocobo and climbed on the rested bird's back. "Let us press on," he said, taking the lead once more.

"Hey, look!" Prompto said, pointing at the sky. The horizon was starting to fade from black to a deep red in preparation for the dawn. "The sun's finally starting to come up!"

"About time," Gladio murmured, gazing up at the lightening sky. "It still won't be up for awhile yet, but at least we shouldn't run into any more daemons."

The promise of the sun seemed to raise the group's spirits as they pressed on, gradually picking up the pace as visibility increased. When the landscape was clearly visible- and the sun would be peeking out from behind the mountains at any moment -Prompto brought up the subject again.

"So, about me heading into town..."

Ignis and Gladio were silent for a long moment, neither liking the idea of splitting up. Ignis sighed at last, slowing his bird so he could ride alongside Prompto. "While I don't like the idea of you going alone, you cannot defend yourself unarmed," he reluctantly agreed. "And you are the least likely of all of us to be recognized." He sighed again, shaking his head. "That being said, a trip into town at some point was unavoidable. Not anticipating leaving Taelpar so suddenly, I neglected to procure any provisions before we set out."

"I'm sure we could find some small game around the tomb," Gladio pitched in. "Although a fire to cook it probably wouldn't be the best idea."

"Precisely," Ignis stated, nodding before turning his attention back to the blond. "I would appreciate it if you could pick up some supplies while you're there- preferably nothing that requires much preparation," he instructed, passing over a bit of gil.

"You got it," Prompto agreed, handing over the extra chocobo's reigns in turn and spurring his bird on ahead. "I'll be back before you know it!"

"Just be careful out there!" Gladio called as the blond passed him.

"And let us know when you've made it to town!" Ignis added, receiving a wave of acknowledgement before Prompto disappeared into the trees. The advisor sighed again, kicking his chocobo's flank and drawing even with Gladio once more.

"He'll be alright," the Shield said after a moment of silence.

Ignis wasn't sure whether Gladio was trying to reassure him or convince himself. "I hope so," he replied, leading his chocobo around a dense clump of shrubs. "At the very least, it's significantly safer traveling during the hours of daylight."

"Yeah." The conversation petered off after that, neither man having much more to say. The sun allowed them to travel a bit farther from the road, keeping well out of sight of any other magitek engines, although they didn't see or hear one during the next hour- a fact that didn't sit well with either of them.

It was nearing mid-morning when Ignis caught sight of the pull off on the side of the road. A red rusted and broken down car sat at the end of one of the lines of covered parking spots, several traffic cones and quite a few sand bags piled next to it. A few empty and broken crates were stacked near a beat-up dumpster with a pile of sun-rotted tires on its other side. There was a trail head toward the back of the parking area, disappearing into the woods. A sign posted next to it read, "Thommels Glade."

"And here we are," Ignis said, carefully surveying the area to make sure they were alone before moving his chocobo out into the open. "If memory serves, this trail should lead to the tomb, correct?"

"About half a mile in," Gladio agreed, following suit. "And not a moment too soon, either."

The advisor glanced back at the Shield, slowing his chocobo. "Would you like me to take Noct for awhile?" he asked.

"Nah, it's not that- we just switched back there," Gladio said, shaking his head. "Mostly I'd like to get there so we can try to warm up Noct- he's definitely colder than before."

Ignis' expression turned grim at the news. He'd been hoping to find the scourge's spread had slowed when he re-checked Noctis once they reached the tomb, but it sounded like that wouldn't be the case. "We have a blanket in our supplies, yes?" he asked, recalling seeing one when he'd been digging through the bag for clean clothes the previous day.

"Two of 'em, yeah."

"Then that shall have to suffice," Ignis stated, exhaling deeply. "Although if his temperature continues to drop, we may have no choice but to risk a fire."

The rode in silence for another moment or two before the Shield spoke up. "I know you're trying not to tire the chocobos out any more than necessary, but would you mind picking up the pace a bit?" he asked.

"Do you hear something?" Ignis asked, kicking his bird's flank as he turned to the brunet.

Gladio urged his chocobo faster as well, looking uncomfortable. "I'm just tired of sitting in this saddle," he said, grimacing as he shifted slightly to find a less painful position. "You telling me you aren't getting sore in places you don't like to think about?"

"Ah, that." The advisor turned back around, adjusting his glasses. "Yes, well, we should be there soon-"

Ignis broke off as his chocobo _warked_ loudly, rearing back in fright. He tried to get the bird back under control, momentarily forgetting about the pack chocobo until it jerked hard in a different direction. The reigns wrapped around his left hand jerked him off the bird's back, painfully wrenching his arm before the leather straps slipped over his glove. He hit the ground hard, barely able to hear Gladio's startled exclamation over the bird's terrified squawks.

Breathing hard through his clenched teeth, Ignis cradled his injured arm to his chest as he forced himself to his knees, looking toward the brunet. Gladio had one arm clamped around Noct's chest as the other pulled on the reigns with a white-knuckled grip as he tried to bring the bird back under control. The chocobo was flapping its wings almost frantically, dancing in place as it tried to escape the ring of weapons around it.

Glowing with a familiar blue-white luminescence, the transparent Royal Arms that Noctis had collected so far floated almost serenely in the air, lazily circling around both bird and riders. Knowing only one person who could activate the armiger, Ignis' eyes shot to the prince- still slumped over Gladio's arm and showing no sign of consciousness. Before the advisor could even begin to comprehend what that might mean, the holy arsenal suddenly stopped circling around them, spinning so the sharp tip of every arm was pointing toward Gladio and Noctis. Without warning, the weapons sped toward their targets. Ignis could do nothing but watch as the deadly circle closed, the Royal Arms impaling both Shield and prince.

 **To Be Continued**

 **Author's Note:** There wasn't a good place to cut the scene, so no Noctis this chapter. Sorry. He'll be in the next one for sure!

 **To Be Continued**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Noctis stepped out of the portal, blinking in the sudden darkness. It took several seconds for his eyes to adjust, recognizing the moonlit countryside around him. He was outside, somewhere in the Leide region if the desert landscape was anything to go by. A chill wind washed over him, sending goose bumps up his arms and he rubbed them, wishing he still had his jacket. He took a few steps forward, slowly turning in a circle as his eyes searched for any familiar landmarks that would allow him to get his bearings.

" _Look out!_ "

Noctis summoned his daggers, spinning around. He hadn't seen anyone nearby, but figured a surprise attack would likely come from behind. A rough hand grabbed his shoulder, pushing him out of the way just before an ear-splitting shriek of metal on metal rent the air.

Noctis staggered a few paces before he was able to catch his balance, already knowing who had saved him as he turned around. He'd experienced Gladio's heavy-handed version of shielding before and wasn't surprised to see the brunet's back, shield raised to deflect whatever weapon had been aimed at Noctis. However, unlike any time previous, there was now the glowing red tip of a sword emerging from his bodyguard's back.

"Gladio!" Noctis screamed as the blade broke apart into crystalline fragments, fading away as the large man collapsed. The prince tried to run forward, almost falling when something caught his foot and refused to let go. Glancing down he saw it was Carbuncle, the fox's white pelt almost glowing against the darkened landscape. His jaws were clamped firmly around the prince's heel, keeping him in place.

"What are you doing?!" Noctis demanded, futilely trying to yank his foot free. The fox was shockingly strong, given his size. "Gladio needs help!"

" _It's already too late!_ " Carbuncle all but yelled in his ear, trying to cut through Noct's rising hysteria. " _Look!_ "

Like Ignis had before him, the color and solidity seemed to fade from the Shield's frame, leaving nothing but a glowing blue outline behind. The only difference was the hole made by the sword, which shone with an ominous crimson color. As Noctis watched, the red light spread out from the wound like an infection, contaminating everything it touched.

As the softer blue light diminished beneath the angry crimson, the clone began to transformation as well. His body grew larger, more than doubling in height. Muscles bulged along his arms, shoulders and chest, ripping through the jacket restraining them. A long, thick spike pushed through the skin at each shoulder, stopping at a height that was a little higher than the creature's head. Neck muscles swelled along with everything else, almost hiding the head from view, were it not for the thin curved horns protruding from either side of the forehead.

The final phase of the transformation brought back solidity and color with it, the skin turning a dark gray- almost black -with yellow eyes glowing in the darkness. Thick armguards stretched almost from knuckle to elbow, seeming to melt into the skin at places and visible only by the difference in color. A wide brown cloth was secured by a thick leather belt at its waist- the only article of clothing it wore. The creature roared as it finished changing, one meaty fist closing around the hilt of a giant sword that appeared on the ground next to it, the blade easily as wide as Noctis was tall and at least two feet thick.

Noctis stared at the iron giant his friend had turned into, words failing him.

" _Come on, Noct!_ " Carbuncle called, fur raised and growling as he took his place at the prince's side. " _This should be easier than last time!_ "

"But, Gladio... How did he-" Noctis broke off mid-sentence, unable to articulate his thoughts as he gestured helplessly toward his friend-turned-daemon.

The fox glanced up at the prince in surprise, taking in his distraught expression. " _That's not Gladio,_ " he said carefully, moving in front of Noctis while keeping the iron giant in his peripheral. " _Your friend wasn't really here- none of them were._ " Liquid chocolate eyes met and held storm blue as the prince finally tore his gaze away from the daemon. " _That was just a construct_ you _created based on your memories._ "

"I know that!" Noctis snapped, running a hand through his hair as he tried to bring his emotions under control. He _knew_ this was just a dream, just an elaborate trap he'd triggered by bonding the cursed sword to him. However, there was nothing 'dream-like' about it, nothing but Carbuncle to remind him this was all in his head. From the monsters he'd fought to the amount of time taken to walk from his apartment to the Citadel, everything mirrored reality so closely that it was easy to forgot.

Noct's gaze slid to the daemon struggling to its feet with its back to them, his mind and heart at odds as he tried to process what he had just seen. This took everything he knew- had _thought_ he'd known -and threw it out the window. "But how is this even possible?! People don't just turn into daemons!" he exclaimed. Either the daemon was messing with his mind by throwing a curve ball- which, Noctis had to admit, was working -or they knew a lot less about daemons than they thought.

" _You needed help and created something that would do that,_ " Carbuncle explained. " _You know that sword that the doppelganger blocked? The daemon used that to corrupt the figment you created, turning it into something that would help the daemon instead of you._ "

Noctis drew in a deep, shaky breath as the iron giant made it to its feet and turned toward him, raising its sword. "Is there no way to reverse it?" he asked, meeting the glowing yellow eyes as it roared again. Even if it was all in his head, if there was a way to save his friend...

" _Reverse? No. The daemon corrupted the construct, re-writing its programing- so to speak -when it was changed into the iron giant. You're going to have to kill it._ " The fox turned to face the daemon once more, hackles raised. " _I wouldn't recommend trying to create another construct of any of your friends, either. If it were to be corrupted as well, you could end up facing_ _ **two**_ _iron giants instead of just one._ "

The prince took a deep breath and nodded, tensing as the daemon raised its sword. "Looks like it's just you and me, big guy," he murmured, summoning his daggers. "Let's see if there's anything of Gladio left in you."

Noctis timed his attack, warp-striking the daemon's shoulder as it brought the massive sword down. The opposing forces pushed the blade deep into the thick flesh, bringing a howl of pain from the giant. One meaty hand swiped at the prince, who was already climbing up onto the giant's shoulder. Knowing the neck was generally a vulnerable area, Noctis started hacking at it with his sword. His strikes lacked the power to do any real damage to the thick skin, but the large hand was again reaching for him before he could devise a better plan. He warped to the ground behind the daemon before it could grab him, quickly backing off several more yards. So far, the creature was acting just like every other iron giant he'd faced, which was relieving. The battle would be tough enough without adding in the guilt of attacking a friend.

" _What is it with you and frontal assaults?_ " the fox asked, appearing at his side again. " _I know Ignis and Gladio drilled more strategies into your head than that!_ "

"When working with a group, sure," Noctis agreed, rolling under a broad sweep of the colossal blade. "By myself, not so much." He let reflex guide him, rolling under the return swing as well. "For some reason, no one ever thought I might end up having to fight alone."

The giant raised his massive fist in the air before swinging it down and smashing it into the ground. Unable to get out of range fast enough, the shockwave knocked the prince off his feet and sent Carbuncle tumbling across the ground. Noctis scrambled to get out of the way as the daemon smashed its sword down toward him, easily cracking the rocky ground from the force of the blow.

Quickly regaining his feet, Noctis summoned his greatsword and threw it at the daemon's leg. His own momentum as he warped after it pushed it deep into the muscles, making the iron giant stagger one or two steps to the side. It irritably swiped at the prince, who had ducked behind the daemon's leg and was quickly getting out of range once more.

Noctis was all over the place, targeting the areas that might be more vulnerable with a warp-strike and then darting several yards away before the iron giant could counter properly. Warp-strikes seemed to be the only thing that did any real damage, though even that was minimal at best. He studied the daemon as he dodged another swing of the enormous sword, trying to locate any weak points he could exploit. The problem was its skin was tough enough to serve as armor, easily deflecting all but the most powerful of blows. Continually warp-striking the same spot could ostensibly create a weak point, but the prince was sure his stamina would flag long before the daemon's.

The iron giant slammed its sword down where Noctis had been standing a few seconds before, the massive blade lodging in the rocky ground. Its glowing yellow eyes narrowed in frustration as it tugged at the sword, giving the prince an idea. The eyes were vulnerable and, with the daemon bent almost in half trying to free the sword, conveniently exposed.

Not knowing how long it would take to pull the sword free, Noctis quickly summoned a dagger and threw at the iron giant's eye. Almost at the same time, the daemon managed to free the blade from the rocks, staggering backward a step or two as the resistance disappeared abruptly. The prince's sword missed its mark, slamming instead into the thick horn on its shoulder and sending a large crack right up its center.

Noctis cursed softly upon realizing he had missed, releasing the blade and letting himself fall to the ground. He cried out in surprise as the daemon snatched him out of the air, its meaty fingers completely wrapping around him from chest to ankles. His arms were still free, having been spread out for balance, but were of little use against the vice-like grip holding him. The iron giant brought him up to its face, as if to verify that it had actually caught the tiny nuisance that had been hurting it and Noctis knew he wouldn't get a better chance.

His arms were free but he was too close- a warp-strike would have little more power than a regular attack at this range. Not wanting to waste the opportunity, and knowing he wasn't likely to get a second chance, Noctis summoned his dagger and threw it as high as he could, warping after it. The daemon, now bereft of its prey, turned its head following the shimmering blue trail of magic almost straight up and providing the prince with a clear shot. Summoning a spear in place of his dagger, Noctis took it.

The eye proved much more vulnerable than its skin, the weapon easily piercing it and the brain beyond as Noct's momentum drove in the spear head and about half the shaft with it. He didn't waste any time once he'd landed the attack, turning and warping to the ground some distance away. If, for whatever reason, this attack didn't kill it, he didn't want to be in range of its counterattack.

Fortunately Noct's aim was true, the iron giant falling to its knees before collapsing face down, its body turning into a bubbling mass of black sludge that was absorbed quickly into the rocky earth.

Noctis sat heavily on the ground, letting out a deep sigh of relief as he tried to catch his breath. "I'm glad _that's_ over with," he panted, resting one arm on an upraised knee as he leaned forward.

Carbuncle carefully padded up next to him, his stance wary as he surveyed the area. " _I'm not sure it's over,_ " he said, ears flicking this way and that.

Noctis lifted his head, gazing at the fox tiredly. "There's more?" he groaned, not caring that his tone had a definite whine to it. He was more than ready for this nightmare to be over.

A slow, mocking clapping sent Noctis right back to his feet, adrenalin banishing his fatigue. A familiar figure seemed to emerge from the darkness, his steps slow and deliberate as he approached the prince. He stopped several feet away, smirking as the other gasped.

It was a clone of Noctis himself. From the spiked black hair to the skull and crossbones motif on the custom-tailored fatigues, almost every physical detail was the same. It would almost be like looking into a mirror if it weren't for the face.

Skin as pale as a corpse accentuated the glowing yellow eyes framed by pitch sclerae. Black fluid leaked from both eyes and one corner of the mouth, leaving dark trails down his pallid cheeks and chin. Some of the larger veins were visible along his neck, dark gray lines branching out beneath the skin. His expression was twisted with cruel pleasure, enjoying the prince's horrified reaction.

Noctis was stunned, unable to tear his eyes away from the abomination before him. Was this some sort of sick joke? Some messed up test of courage, forcing him to face his 'inner daemon' so to speak? Because that was what it looked like- a daemonified version of himself. He felt a shiver run down his spine as the _thing_ sneered at him. He didn't even know his face _could_ look that _evil_. "What," he asked after he'd finally found his voice again, "is _that?_ "

Carbuncle was silent for a long moment, gazing at the creature with something akin to pity. " _It's you,_ " he answered at last, turning his sad gaze to Noctis, " _corrupted by the scourge._ "

"What?" The word came out as a whisper, Noct's wide eyes jumping back to his doppelganger again. "No... No. That's not... I know the scourge affects the line of Lucis differently, but that can't..."

" _If you surrender to the darkness,_ " the fox continued, the gravity of the tone at odds with the young voice, " _this is what you will become- a cursed creature who knows no peace and takes pleasure in creating pain and suffering for all those around him_."

Noctis took a deep breath, holding the glowing gaze as his twin cocked his head to the side, lips quirked as if daring the prince to disagree. "So this is what the daemon's doing to me," he stated, eyes hardening with resolve. "If I kill him, that should be the end of it, right?"

" _Yep!_ " Carbuncle agreed. " _But if you lose, he's the one who will return to your friends._ "

The doppelganger's smirk widened into a malicious grin at the prospect. Noct's eyes narrowed, his mouth set in a grim line. "Then I guess I can't lose," he said, holding out his hand and gripping his sword's hilt as it materialized out of thin air.

Dark-Noctis mirrored his movements, a black sword with a glowing red edge appearing in his own hand. The prince could feel the evil aura emanating from the blade.

Carbuncle growled, hackles raised as he backed off several feet. " _Noct, that sword-_ "

"Is the one I found in the tomb," Noctis finished, recognizing the cursed blade that landed him in this mess to begin with. He hadn't even thought about what had happened to the weapon with everything else that was going on, though he supposed it was fitting the evil blade be wielded by his corrupted counterpart.

" _Be careful._ "

The prince nodded, not daring to take his gaze from his opponent. Since his glowing-eyed clone seemed content to just stand there watching him- which was creepy enough in and of itself -Noctis made the first move. He quickly closed the distance between them, bring his sword down in an over-head strike that was neatly parried by Dark-Noctis. He stayed on the offensive, putting as much strength as he could behind the blows only to have each one easily blocked by his evil twin.

Deciding to switch it up a bit, Noctis summoned his daggers in place of his sword, sacrificing power for speed against his opponent's single blade. He couldn't help staring in surprise as the doppelganger grasped the thicker part of his own sword, pulling away a chunk that ran the length of the weapon. A hazy dark mist enveloped both parts of the sword as they shifted, the miasma clearing as they reformed into a set of daggers. The weapons were identical to the prince's own, allowing him to match Noctis stroke for stroke once more.

The battle dragged on, each weapon Noctis summoned being copied by the cursed sword. His clone countered every strike with apparent ease, lips turned up in a mocking smile and yellow eyes dancing in delight at the prince's frustration, though he did not utter a single word. Seeing an opening, the prince took it; feeling his dagger sink deep into his doppelganger's leg just before he phased through a retaliatory swipe of Dark-Noct's own weapon. However, instead of the dagger passing through him like it normally would as he moved away, he felt the blade's sting as it slashed across his shoulder.

The wound wasn't deep, and Noctis had certainly had worse in the past, but this one was different. It was almost as if an ice spell had been released inside the wound, the feeling of being so cold it almost _burned_ seeping through his flesh and penetrating to his bone. The shock of it dropped him to his knees, his mind reeling as it tried to make sense of what had just happened. A flash of red from the corner of his eye- a blade being raised for a killing stroke -forced him into action, instinctively chucking his dagger as far as he could and warping after it just before his opponent's weapon struck.

Noctis hit the ground hard, rolling a couple of times before coming to a stop. Gasping breaths hissed through clenched teeth as he focused on breathing through the pain. It felt like hundreds of icy shards were stabbing all along the wound, the cold radiating from it making him shiver uncontrollably. He clutched the cut with his opposite hand, the freezing flesh contrasting sharply with the hot blood pouring out of it.

His training kicked in as the shock wore off, immediately pulling an elixir from his inventory and imbuing it with his magic. He had some difficulty crushing it in his hand as the fingers were already starting to lose their dexterity due to the cold spreading down his arm, letting out a huff of relief when the bottle finally broke. The healing magic washed over him, knitting the skin back together though it did nothing for the bitter chill permeating his shoulder.

Noctis forced himself back to his feet, still clutching his shoulder. His eyes sought out his evil twin, distractedly noticing that while the landscape seemed to have become darker, he could still see his opponent clearly. Dark-Noctis was staring at his leg, his expression no longer amused. Long pale fingers touched the wound, coming away black with the ichor that passed for his blood and his glowing gaze narrowed in anger. Amber orbs locked onto storm blue, promising retribution as he raised his sword.

No longer content to stay on defense, the clone rushed toward the prince. Noctis couldn't help his own eyes widening in surprise. Although his strike had almost been deep enough to reach the bone, it didn't hinder or even bother his doppelganger in the slightest. It seemed regular attacks were an annoyance, at best. Teeth clenched in anger at the heavily stacked odds- and to keep them from chattering because of the cold slowly creeping across his chest -Noctis summoned his own sword and met the attack head on. He'd dismember this corrupted version of himself piece by piece if that's what it took to beat him.

Dark-Noctis attacked with a vengeance, hitting hard and fast. The prince was barely able to keep up with the flurry of blows that seems to come from almost every direction, the clone switching weapons with almost every strike. The malicious smile was back, wordlessly taunting his untainted twin though his eyes promised a slow and painful death.

Time lost all meaning as Noctis lost himself in the flow of the fight, relying entirely on reflexes honed from years' worth of training. There was no time for thought or strategy, focusing all of his senses on reading his opponent to get that extra second of warning before the next strike. As the fight continued, he couldn't help favoring his left side as the cold radiating from his shoulder gradually stiffened up the joint, making it more and more difficult to move. It was obvious he was fighting a losing battle and they both knew it.

A particularly powerful blow from a greatsword knocked the prince off his feet and sent him rolling across the rocky ground. He simply lay there for a few seconds, breathing hard and completely exhausted before pushing himself to his hands and knees. His arms shook from more than just the cold, the weakness of the muscles threatening to drop him back to the ground at any second. He raised his head, still gasping like a fish out of water, and met the cool amber gaze of his double.

Dark-Noctis hadn't moved to take advantage of his fallen opponent, enjoying watching his counterpart struggle. He was as poised as ever, not tired or even the slightest bit winded from the fast-paced battle. His grin widened as the prince glared up at him defiantly, his storm blue gaze saying what his lungs couldn't spare the breath for: no matter what, he would never surrender.

The corrupted doppelganger chuckled darkly, his shoulders shaking with the movement though no sound escaped his lips. Even though he was clearly exhausted and outmatched, Noctis would continue fighting to his dying breath. The clone had a feeling prey with that level of drive would be hard to come by in the real world and intended to savor every moment while he could. The prince's death would not be swift.

Though still grinning creepily at him, his evil twin seemed content to wait until the Noctis was ready to continue. He took advantage of that, sitting back and rubbing his shoulder as he focused on slowing his breathing. A movement of white in his peripheral let him know Carbuncle was at his side once more.

"Any ideas?" he panted, not daring to take his eyes off the clone. "Nothing I have is working."

" _Of course not_ ," the fox agreed, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. " _You're using regular weapons against something spawned from the darkness._ "

Noctis blinked in surprise, almost turning his head to look at the fox before catching himself. "What do you mean?"

" _Do I really need to make a comment about 'the shiny sword?_ '" Carbuncle asked, his tone light and teasing before turning serious once more. " _The power of kings is designed to fight against creatures of darkness- it's the only way you can defeat him._ "

Noctis didn't know what to say. He'd compared his double to a daemon in his mind, but it hadn't even occurred to him to use the Royal Arms. One corner of his mouth turned up in a wry smile as he pushed himself back to his feet, staggering slightly before finding his balance. He'd finally managed to calm his breathing, though his entire body still trembled from the cold. Ignoring his own discomforts, he closed his eyes as he got ready for round two; calling on the power that was his birthright.

Noctis felt the power of his ancestors respond, washing over him like a warm breeze. His shoulder still ached fiercely, feeling like it was almost frozen solid, but the cold seemed to be drawing back to the original wound, receding up his arm and across his chest. The atmosphere no longer felt as oppressive as before and Noctis opened his eyes, fully expecting to see the Royal Arms he'd collected circling around him, their blue-white luminescence shining brilliantly in the darkness. What he saw instead was his double taking a step back, eyes wide in alarm and his face twisting in a snarl.

"Uh, Carbuncle?" he asked, taking an involuntary step back at the murderous look in those glowing yellow eyes. "It's not working!"

" _Yes, it did!_ " the fox replied, jumping back and forth excitedly. " _Why do you think he's so angry? He knows you can beat him now!_ "

"With what?! The armiger didn't appear!" Noctis exclaimed, reaching out as if to grasp a weapon's hilt only for his hand to close around nothing but air. "I can feel them, but they're not here!"

" _You can't summon them the regular way in here,_ " Carbuncle said quickly, noticing the corrupted clone shifting to a battle-ready stance. " _I'll explain it later! Just focus on a target and they'll come to you!_

The prince did as he was instructed, holding out his hand as he often did when commanding the full power of the armiger. He focused on his evil twin- now leaping toward him with the cursed sword held high -as he willed the Royal Arms to descend upon his foe.

Light cut through the darkness as a large four-point ninja star flew through the air, shining with an inner luminescence. Dark-Noctis saw it coming, quickly moving his blade to deflect the giant shuriken. The Star of the Rouge hit the cursed blade, sparks flying as the unearthly shriek of metal on metal pierced the night. Without an arm behind it, the shuriken was easily thrown back, disappearing into shimmering crystalline shards as the next Royal Arm lit the night as it came flying toward the doppelganger.

Axe, sword, shield, mace- each of piece of the armiger appeared in turn, hurtling toward the corrupted clone from a different direction. Dark-Noctis deflected, dodged, parried and flipped out of the way, desperately trying to fend off the weapons of light. A crossbow bolt sank deep into his thigh, sending him to the ground as his face twisted in a soundless scream. Ripping the bolt out, he quickly rolled out of the way as a greatsword descended from above, burying several inches of the blade into the rocky soil where he'd just been sitting. Grimly staggering back to his feet, he continued knocking away the holy arsenal, determined not to lose this fight.

Noctis let his arm drop, breathing heavily as he ran a shaky hand across the beads of sweat running down his face. Using the armiger like that was incredibly draining and he couldn't sustain it for more than a minute or two. However, despite the fatigue weighing on his limbs, he felt elated. Regardless of how short a time it was, his evil counterpart had been the one retreating. The mocking smile was gone, replaced by a stubbornness that was all too familiar to the prince as his double actually struggled to hold his own.

Hope granting his body new strength, Noctis called the Swords of the Wanderer to his hands, the hilts almost uncomfortably warm against his skin as the power of his ancestors flowed into him. Dark-Noctis pulled his own blade apart into a set of daggers, the dark miasma clinging to the blades instead of dissipating as it had before. At an unspoken cue, both men rushed forward with their weapons raised.

Sparks flew as the blades clashed, the Royal Arms glowing brighter while the haze covering the cursed blades darkened in equal measure. They were once again matched evenly, both injured and tired as they parried and countered endlessly, with neither one willing to give in. Noctis could feel himself growing weaker, the miasma flowing from the cursed blade polluting the air and sapping his strength. Fortunately, the light from his own weapon seemed to be doing the same to his counterpart, the other flinching involuntarily every time the blade got too close.

Wanting to end this before they were both too weak to do more than sit there and glare at each other, Noctis decided to take a page out of Gladio's book. Several quick slashes got him the room he needed, jumping as high as he could and summoning his axe. Grasping the haft with both hands, he brought it down in a powerful over-head stroke, aiming for his opponent's head.

Dark-Noctis realized too late what his counterpart was doing, quickly changing his daggers to a shield but unable to raise it in time. Glowing amber eyes were wide with shocked disbelief as the blow struck home, the sharp blade of the axe biting deeply into his skull. The shield fell from nerveless fingers, changing back to a sword as it clattered noisily on the rocky soil. The doppelganger stood for a second or two longer before he crumpled to the ground, mouth slack and eyes staring up unseeingly at the darkness as black ichor dribbled out of the gaping wound between them.

Noctis let go of the shaft, quickly backing off as the axe disappeared in a burst of crystalline shards. Despite the obvious differences between them, he couldn't help feeling like he was staring at his own corpse and the sight of it made him slightly nauseous. His shoulder ached fiercely, the cold coming back with a vengeance once he released the Royal Arm as he staggered several feet away from the body. Sitting heavily on the ground and panting as he futilely rubbed his shoulder, he glanced down at the fox. "Is that it?" he wheezed, very carefully avoiding looking toward his evil twin. "Is it over?"

" _I don't know,_ " Carbuncle admitted, staring at the body warily. " _Something doesn't feel right._ "

Noctis hissed softly as his shoulder throbbed, hunching over slightly in a vain attempt to relieve the pain. "I don't suppose you can tell me why my shoulder feels like it's a solid block of ice, can you?" he asked through clenched teeth.

Carbuncle blinked in surprise, quickly trotting over and sniffing his arm before sneezing as he hurriedly backed off again. " _It's the scourge,_ " he answered, rubbing a paw across his nose as if to physically get the scent out of it. " _Though that should have gone away when you defeated him..._ "

"Meaning he's not dead yet?" Noctis asked in disbelief, his gaze drawn back to his double. He shuddered, quickly averting his eyes once more. "Seems dead to me," he murmured, clutching his shoulder tightly.

Carbuncle didn't reply, moving over to inspect the body. Noctis kept his gaze on the ground in front of him, shivering slightly as he waited for the verdict. "So why couldn't I summon the armiger the regular way?" he asked, trying to distract himself from the cold once again spreading from his shoulder.

" _The 'regular way' for you is pulling it out of the sub-space provided by the Crystal,_ " the fox said distractedly. " _However you can't do that here, since we're inside your mind. Trying to bring out a regular sword in here will end up with you skewered by your own weapon in reality. So instead you've subconsciously been creating constructs as you need them- kind of like the figments of your friends, only much less complex._ "

Noctis summoned one of the holy weapons, grasping the hilt with fingers that were almost numb from the cold. Like before, warmth from the weapon seemed to wash over him, once more banishing the frigid chill spreading across his chest and down his arm, though it did little for what was infecting the original wound. "And the Royal Arms?" he prompted.

" _They're not stored by the Crystal. When you forged the bond, you made them a part of yourself,_ " the fox explained. " _Of course, you've never needed to use them in your dreams before, so when you activated the armiger it's likely they appeared around your comatose body._ " He paused as another thought occurred to him. " _You probably scared the pants off your friends, though- you should apologize to them when you get out of here._ "

Noctis huffed a short laugh, imagining himself lying on a bed with his Crownsguard keeping an eye on him nearby. He would have loved to see the expression on their faces when the armiger appeared without warning. A smile pulled at his lips as he envisioned Prompto falling off his chair and Gladio jumping to his feet, swearing. Even Ignis had probably lost his composure for a good few seconds, at least.

Carbuncle growled, darting back to the prince's side. " _Noct, look at the sword!_ "

Noct's eyes snapped over to the blade, the urgency in the fox's tone overriding his personal aversion to his double's corpse. The cursed weapon was lying on the ground next to its owner, a thick haze still surrounding the sword. The miasma visibly expanded as Noctis watched, quickly spreading to the clone lying next to it. The black mist flowed over the corpse, condensing around the wound that had ended his life. The haze cleared a few seconds later, leaving no trace of the injury. As it withdrew back to the sword, the body jerked, drawing in a gasping breath.

Noctis just stared, slack-jawed as his double came back to life. "What the-"

" _It's the sword!_ " Carbuncle said, hackles raised and still growling. " _That's the source of everything- that's what you need to destroy!_ "

"The daemon is the sword?!" he asked, turning to face the fox incredulously. "How is that even possible?!"

" _The point is, your double is just a figment- like Ignis and Gladio,_ " Carbuncle said, meeting Noct's gaze. " _Killing him won't make a difference, because the daemon can just bring him back again. You have to destroy that sword!_ "

With a groan, Noctis pushed himself back to his feet as his clone did same, getting ready for round three- or was it four? He shook his head, ignoring the frivolous thought. Whatever the case, he was more than ready for this to be over with and the cursed blade was all that was standing in his way.

With that in mind, Noctis made the first move. He attacked with renewed fervor, this time focusing his heavy-handed strikes on the sword instead of trying to work around it. His evil twin seemed to realize what he was doing, deflecting and dodging after the first several hits left his weapon resonating alarmingly. Construct though he may be, he was still created from Noct's own life experiences and could feel the weakness starting to overtake his blade from the ringing blows.

The prince wasn't able to keep up his aggressive offense for long, fatigue from the multiple battles back to back weighing heavily on him. His doppelganger wasn't fairing much better, now seeming to be affected by the mere presence of the holy weapons, given the way he flinched whenever he looked directly at any of the blades. Whether because he remembered the pain of death or because he was now infected with an ailment similar to the biting cold gripping the prince's own shoulder, Noctis couldn't say. However, he would take any advantage he could get, even if this one only leveled the playing field.

The deadly dance continued despite their difficulties, neither willing to give any ground. Each strike was slightly weaker than the last, each counter just a little bit slower as exhaustion reared its ugly head once more. Staring into the tired but determined glowing eyes over their crossed blades, Noctis knew he'd have to try something different if he wanted to tip the scales.

He broke the stalemate, quickly jumping back and warping out of range as he took a moment to catch his breath. Both of them were panting heavily, chests heaving from the exertion, though Noct's labored breathing was the only sound in the still night air. Disconcerting though it was, he couldn't focus on that now, roughly pushing it aside as he considered his options.

Breaking a weapon in combat wasn't an easy thing to do, even less so when his opponent knew that was what he was trying to accomplish. It seemed he'd have to get Dark-Noctis out of the way- again -before he could destroy the cursed sword.

As he considered his options, Noctis realized he was far enough away for a warp-strike to do some serious damage. Although the clone would know what the prince was doing as soon as he raised his sword to throw, he'd have no choice but to block it. Noctis wasn't sure how many warp-strikes it would take the break the cursed weapon, but he was eager to find out.

The prospect of ending this nightmare renewing his strength, Noctis summoned the Sword of the Tall. It would take both hands and his entire body to throw the greatsword at his foe, but would deal maximum damage to whatever weapon his evil twin tried to block it with. He let the giant sword fly, calling on his magic to warp after it and strike his enemy.

Noct's aim was true, though he was surprised to find his doppelganger hadn't even tried to block his attack. The greatsword struck him in the chest, the force behind the blow sinking it deep into the flesh. Noctis had no time to consider this as pain erupted in his abdomen, followed swiftly by the bitter chill of the scourge. Looking down, he saw the cursed sword sticking out of his belly, his blood running in bright red rivulets down the dark blade.

Noctis couldn't help the keening wail that escaped him, both at the sight of the sword impaling him and at the pain of his torso being slowly frozen from the inside out. Grasping the blade with trembling hands, he took a second to brace himself before yanking it out. A scream ripped itself from his throat, raw and ragged as he collapsed on the ground, shaking uncontrollably.

It was a few seconds before the pain receded enough to allow him to focus on other things, namely the heat from the blood soaking into his shirt. It took him three tries to summon an elixir imbued with healing magic, only to drop the bottle from fingers that were rapidly growing numb. Noctis cursed, slamming his hand down on the bottle and breaking it against the ground. Once released, the magic settled over him with a gentle green glow, mending the broken flesh in his abdomen, though it had no effect on the cold consuming him.

Once he was no longer in danger of bleeding out, Noctis forced himself to a sitting position and summoned the Swords of the Wanderer. The hilts were hot against his palms, almost to the point of burning, but no longer seemed to have any effect on the ice slowly freezing his core. His eyes fell on the sword that had started everything, innocuously lying on the ground next to him. It was time to put an end to this.

Activating the full power of the armiger once more, Noctis sent every ounce of holy power at his disposal at the cursed blade. The glowing weapons appeared, shooting down at the sword in quick succession and striking the flat of the blade. It was only a few seconds before cracks started to appear in the dark metal, shining with a white luminescence and multiplying with each strike.

As the blade grew weaker, so too did the scourge infecting the prince. The cold had faded from 'freezing solid' to 'caught in a blizzard without a jacket.' While still bitterly cold, it was less debilitating, allowing Noctis to regain his feet. His expression was weary, wanting nothing more than to put this entire incident behind him. Summoning the Mace of the Fierce to hand, he brought it down in an overhead strike, shattering the cursed blade once and for all.

Heat settled over him as the scourge was eradicated, leaving him feeling like he'd just slipped into a hot bath after hours spent in the snow. It felt like bands he hadn't even realized were constricting his chest had loosened, letting him draw a deep breath for the first time in hours. The darkness was lifted from the landscape as the eastern sky grew bright with the promise of the dawn. The light revitalized him, leaving him feeling rested and ready to face whatever challenges lie ahead.

Carbuncle was overjoyed, bouncing all around Noct's feet in his excitement. " _You did it, Noct!_ " he all but crowed, standing on his hind legs to lick at the prince's hand before running around his feet once more. " _You won!_ "

Noctis couldn't help the smile spreading across his face, though his own excitement was considerably more contained. "Yeah," he agreed, kneeling down and holding out his hand. "Though it was a bit touch-and-go for awhile there."

 _I knew you could do it!_ Carbuncle took the opportunity to climb up on the prince's shoulders, licking his cheek with an enthusiasm only a canine can possess. " _After all, fishing isn't the only thing you're king of!_ "

Noctis blinked in surprise at the reference before laughing in embarrassment as he ducked his head. He'd been trying to land a monster of a fish for what felt like hours, finally reeling it in long after his companions had returned to the nearby haven. Although the elation at his accomplish had seemed to justify it at the time, in hindsight he was very glad none of his friends had been around to hear him declare himself the king of fishing with such enthusiasm. Shaking his head at the memory- and the wet tongue relentlessly attacking his cheek -he pulled the fox down from his shoulders, holding him in his arms instead. "I couldn't have done it without you," he pointed out, scratching behind the fox's ears and under his chin. "Thanks."

Though still practically vibrating with energy, Carbuncle didn't try to wiggle out of the prince's hold, leaning into the caress and purring.

Chuckling at the fox, Noctis rose back to his feet. "So, any idea how I get out of here?" he asked, his voice turning serious once more. Although the danger had passed, he didn't really want to be stuck inside his head for the rest of his life. "Last time I had to find my 'happy place' or whatever, right?"

Carbuncle chittered, the young voice echoing the laughter in Noct's ear. " _Safe place,_ " he corrected. " _The one place you feel safest. It was your dad's car last time, right?_ "

"Yeah," Noctis agreed, his eyes scanning the landscape. "But I don't see the Regalia anywhere..."

" _Of course not,_ " Carbuncle said, chittering again. " _You've changed a lot since then. You don't rely on your dad to protect you like you did when you were a kid._ "

Noctis conceded the point, but he had no idea where his 'safe place' might be. With the fall of the Crown City, he'd been living a nomadic life-style while trying to make his way to Altissia. How could he have a 'safe place' when he rarely slept anywhere twice? The Regalia was pretty much the only constant since his home had been destroyed, but he didn't see it anywhere.

He turned in a slow circle, his eyes roving over the landscape. There wasn't much of anything out there- mostly rocks with a few scraggly bushes or desert trees here and there against the backdrop of mountains in the distance. The runes of a haven were glowing faintly on the top of a small rise some distance away, but there was nothing else out there.

Noctis froze, his eyes darting back to the hill. It was difficult to tell for sure in the pre-dawn light, but the dark shapes he'd assumed to be rocks on the other side of the haven had edges that were a little too straight to be natural. He squinted his eyes, taking a few steps in that direction to help him make out the shapes better. There was no doubt about it- that haven had a tent pitched on it. "You have _got_ to be kidding me," he said, incredulous.

Carbuncle looked up at the prince's face before following his gaze to the haven. " _Looks like that's your safe place._ "

Noctis scowled. "I _hate_ camping!"

" _What's wrong with camping?_ " the fox asked innocently. " _I thought you liked the outdoors._ "

"Camping's fine- when you don't have to do it six days out of seven in a given week," Noctis huffed, annoyed. "How can _that_ be my safe place?!"

Carbuncle jumped down, trotting a feet steps away and eyeing the haven as he hummed thoughtfully. " _I don't think it's the haven itself that's your safe place,_ " he decided. " _But do you know what's there?_ "

The prince glanced sullenly at the fox. "What?" he asked, his tone indicating he knew he wasn't going to like the answer.

" _Your friends._ "

Noctis blinked, clearly taken off guard. "What?" he asked again, not quite following Carbuncle's logic.

" _Ignis, Gladio, Prompto- they've been with you every step of the way,_ " Carbuncle pointed out. " _They may not protect you like your dad did, but they always have your back. With all the turmoil from the war and the Empire hunting you down, you've spent countless nights on the run, only able to sleep easily because your friends are nearby._ " He turned back to look at the prince. " _Is it any wonder that camping is where you feel safest?_ "

Noctis sighed, running a hand through his hair. He couldn't refute anything Carbuncle had said, but it still rankled him that sleeping on a rock without any proper facilities was his 'safe place.' Gladio would have a field day if he found out. Noctis decided then and there that he would not speak of this to any of them. "Let's get it over with," he sighed, heading toward the haven.

Carbuncle easily kept pace with him, laughing softly at the prince's obvious displeasure. More details came into view as they got closer- the table where Ignis prepared their meals, the chairs around the campfire...

Noctis unconsciously picked up the pace, overcome with a desire to see his friends again. He didn't know how long it had been in reality, but it felt like ages ago when they'd last shared a meal around the campfire. Ignis, with his quiet insights and dry sarcasm; Prompto with his camera, eager to show what pictures he'd taken that day; and Gladio, always riling him up to try and get in another round of training before turning in for the night. He missed them, and suddenly the thought of the haven being his safe place wasn't quite so ridiculous anymore.

He hesitated as they reached the rocky platform, one foot on the rough slope that would lead to the top. "Thank you, Carbuncle- for everything," he said, turning to look at the fox that had stopped a couple of feet back. "And not just this time, either."

" _No problem!_ " the fox replied, giving him a canine grin. " _And, if you ever run into another cursed sword, I'll be here to help you out again!_ "

Noctis huffed a laugh. "No offense, but I think I'll try to stay away from cursed swords from now on."

" _Sounds like a good idea to me!_ " Carbuncle agreed. " _Oh, by the way, that sword is yours now._ "

"What?" Noctis asked, surprised. "But I shattered it..."

" _That was the representation of the daemon in your mind,_ " the fox explained. " _The daemon is gone, but the sword remains. It's not a Royal Arm, but it was meant to be, which means it has some magic in it. It should give you quite the boost if you use it to warp strike._ "

"I'll...keep that in mind," Noctis murmured, not quite sure how he felt about it.

" _Go on!_ " Carbuncle urged. " _Everyone's waiting for you!_ "

"Right." Noctis shook his head lightly, banishing the thoughts about the sword. He could figure out what to do with it later. "Well, I guess I'll see you later," he said, not liking the finality of 'goodbye.'

Carbuncle nodded. " _You bet!_ "

With one last look at the fox, Noctis turned and climbed up to the top of the haven. The sun was just peeking over the horizon as he stepped into the campsite, the feeling of 'coming home' settling over him like a warm blanket. He closed his eyes, feeling the world slip away around him as the dream finally came to an end. When he next awoke, it would be in reality, surrounded by his friends. Noctis couldn't wait.

 **-LINE BREAK-**

Prompto groaned softly, gingerly shifting in the saddle. He was sure the sun had been up for several hours at least, but he'd still seen no sign of the town. He'd stayed off the road but kept it in sight, not wanting to draw any attention to himself. The precaution seemed unnecessary, as he hadn't seen another drop ship since parting company with the others- a fact that left him more than a little uneasy.

If the others had run into trouble, he was too far away to help them now. His hand hovered over the pocket with his phone in it before dropping back down to grasp the reigns. It was likely Ignis would call him once they were out of danger, if they were no longer headed to the Royal Tomb. Otherwise, a call now could give away their location, if they were hiding, or prove a fatal distraction at a crucial moment. It was probably better just to wait, for now. Besides, there was always the chance that the Empire had assumed they'd missed them and moved on to search areas farther out.

Prompto nodded, determined to believe that was the case until he saw evidence to the contrary. That evidence came a little sooner than he was expecting as he rounded a bend in the road, almost stopping at the sight that greeted him. The rocky mountain wall he'd been following had been steadily drawing closer to the road for some time. He could see it continued to do so, coming within twenty feet of the road on both sides further on ahead. It was in this narrow area, with little hope of slipping by unnoticed, that the Empire had set up a checkpoint.

There were five magitek troopers, two on either side of the road with axes held at the ready as they scrutinized everyone in the vehicles. The fifth stood on the double yellow line in the middle, gun held in a deceptively loose grip as he kept traffic at a stand still until the cars had passed inspection. There was no way the blond would be able to slip past them unseen.

Taking a deep breath, Prompto forced himself to relax; trying to sit lazily in the saddle as he continued on at a sedate pace as if he had all the time in the world to reach his destination. His muscles refused to cooperative, seeming to tense up even further as he ambled almost casually into dangerous territory.

A cold sweat broke out across his forehead as he drew nearer, his heart leaping up into his throat when one of the robots glanced up at him. Unblinking, glowing red eyes stared at him from the mechanical face, the metal unable to form any expression- not that the unit itself was capable of feeling emotions. Prompto kept his eyes forward, entire body stiff as a board. His hands were clammy inside his gloves, holding onto the reigns in a white-knuckled grip as he watched the MT study him in his peripheral.

After what felt like an unreasonable amount of time, the unit turned its attention back to the road, dismissing the blond. Prompto let out a slow breath, not willing to move too much for fear of drawing its attention back to him. It seemed he had passed inspection and, as long as he didn't do anything suspicious like making a break for it, he should be able to slip by unmolested. Though it was nerve-wracking to keep his chocobo at walk- any slower and he'd swear they were moving _backward_ -it was still far preferable to the alternative.

After what felt like an inordinate amount of time, Prompto passed the MTs, no longer able to see them without turning his head. When they didn't immediately attack, he felt like he was finally able to take a deep breath again. It seemed his guess had panned out- they didn't have his face on file, allowing him to slip underneath their radar.

Busy mentally patting himself on the back, Prompto didn't notice as the glowing eyes focused on him once more... Specifically on the skull and crossbones emblazoned across the back of his jacket, marking him as a member of the personal Crownsguard of the Lucian Prince.

 **-LINE BREAK-**

 **To Be Continued**

 **Author's Note:** Sorry, no Ignis or Gladio this time, but I promise we'll see everyone next chapter!


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Gladio jerked in surprise as the armiger burst into life around him, the transparent weapons shining even in the full light of the sun. His chocobo immediately reared back in fright, wide eyes staring at the moving objects that had suddenly appeared all around it. Gladio swore loudly, jerking back on the reigns as the bird flailed within the ring of weapons, all but crushing Noct's limp form against his chest with his other arm. He held onto the chocobo as tightly as he could with his legs, trying to keep both of them from being thrown off of the terrified bird.

The chocobo pranced in place, fighting against the reigns as it jerked this way and that, trying to find an avenue of escape. Gladio held on for all he was worth, Noct's dead weight almost pulling them both off several times. He vaguely registered a cry of pain from Ignis, though he couldn't spare the attention to see what had happened to the advisor.

From his peripheral, the Shield saw the spinning weapons stop, hovering in place as they turned until they were all facing him. Instinctively knowing what was coming next, Gladio dropped the reigns and wrapped both arms around the prince as he rolled out of the saddle and off the bird's back. He curled his large frame around Noctis, protecting him from the ground as much as the weapons that should have been his to command.

The Royal Arms pierced him from every side, bringing not pain as he'd been expecting, but a rush of heat that seemed to slid right through him. The sensation was gone almost before it had registered, though the jarring impact of hitting the ground shoulder-first lasted much longer. Gladio ignored it for the moment, rolling both himself and Noctis away from the panicked chocobo to keep from being trampled under foot.

Once free of the ring of weapons, the bird immediately sprinted off after its fellows. Gladio let himself relax marginally as the chocobo's cries faded, just lying there for a few seconds as he tried to calm the rapid beating of his heart.

"Noct!" Ignis cried, his tone full of fear. His own injury was all but forgotten as he forced himself to his feet and hurried over to the fallen men. "Gladio!"

Hearing the advisor's frantic calls, the brunet quickly rolled off of the prince, pushing himself to a sitting position with a groan. He had no doubt he'd be sporting several new bruises in an hour or so. "I'm fine, Iggy," he grunted as the bespectacled man reached them.

Though relieved Gladio seemed unharmed, Ignis swiftly knelt at Noct's side, giving him a cursory once-over. There weren't any obvious cuts in his clothing or bleeding, though the advisor quickly patted him down with his good arm to be sure, keeping his left one close to his body. He let out a relieved breath when it seemed the prince had escaped no worse for the wear, though why the armiger would activate on its own and turn on its bearer was worrisome.

Gladio was, by his own admission, unharmed by the holy arsenal, which likely meant that Noctis was the intended target. The Royal Arms were powerful weapons, especially when used against daemons, but Ignis could think of no reason they would turn on their wielder, unless... Eyes widening in alarm, the advisor quickly held his hand to the prince's mouth, the tension across his shoulders easing slightly when he felt the steady exhalation against his skin. As irrational as it was, he had feared the armiger might have mistaken Noctis for a daemon.

Noctis didn't have any physical injuries from the Royal Arms, though the weapons themselves weren't fully solid when they struck, either. Following that train of thought, Ignis surmised it was possible that it wasn't the prince the armiger was attacking, but the scourge itself. Hope swelling in his chest, the advisor struggled to unzip Noct's jacket with one hand.

After a few unsuccessful attempts, Gladio took over. "What are you looking for?" he asked, unzipping the jacket easily.

"A reason for the armiger's activation," Ignis answered, pushing the jacket aside as he lifted the prince's shirt. His expression fell at the sight of the pulsating lines still creeping across the pale skin, noting they had spread another inch since he'd seen them last and now almost reached the edge of Noct's chest on both sides.

Remembering the doctor's instructions, he pulled the marker from his pocket and carefully marked the scourge's progress, unable to do anything else to help the prince. His frown deepened at the surprisingly low temperature of the flesh beneath his hand. While not yet hypothermic, it was clear they needed to get Noctis warmed up soon.

Gladio's jaw dropped open in shock. He'd only seen pictures of those afflicted with the scourge, and the doctor had said that it was spreading quickly, but the brunet wasn't prepared for this. This was like nothing he had ever seen before. He couldn't help but stare as Ignis carefully drew along the outer edges of the pulsing lines, the bespectacled man looking disappointed- and worried -but not surprised by the horrifying sight.

Ignis sat back with a sigh, wincing slightly as he replaced the cap on the marker and slid it back into his pocket. "I had hoped the armiger might have activated in response to the scourge," he explained, pulling Noct's shirt back down before moving on to check his eyes.

Gladio let out a startled oath at the yellow iris and black sclera that had been previously hidden beneath Noct's eyelid. Scourge or not, there was no way that could be normal.

Ignis hissed as he tried to pull out his phone with his injured arm, quickly aborting the motion. He hesitated a moment before giving up and asking for Gladio's assistance. "Would you mind holding his eyelids open for me?" he asked, turning to the Shield.

Gladio did as instructed, watching with an almost morbid fascination as the advisor checked Noct's pupillary response. Surprisingly, the prince's other eye wasn't quite as bad, the sclera remaining mostly white with only a bit of black visible around the edge of the iris, though Gladio had no idea what that might mean.

Ignis sat back when he was done, nodding to Gladio as he replaced his phone in his pocket. "We should continue on foot- it will likely be some time before the chocobos have calmed enough to respond to the whistle and I'd rather we not stay in the open," he said, pulling the sides of Noct's jacket together, though he had no hope of zipping it up with only one hand.

"Not until you tell me what's going on first," Gladio demanded, brushing the advisor's hand aside as he almost irritably zipped up the jacket. "What is wrong with Noct's chest? And his eyes..." He let the sentence trail off, repressing a shudder.

"It's the scourge," Ignis replied, his voice clipped as he started sliding off his own jacket.

"Don't coddle me Ignis- I'm not one of the kids," Gladio said, his voice taking on a sharper edge. "That's not the scourge- what's really going on here? What did Dr. Hayes tell you? What's happening to Noctis?!"

"I don't know!" Ignis snapped, his already frayed nerves bristling at Gladio's tone and demanding questions. He caught himself before the argument could escalate any further, let out a short huff and rubbing his eyes beneath his glasses as he tried to regain his composure. Emotions were high, both from uncertainty and worry for their friend as well as their current situation. It was Ignis' job to keep a cool head, regardless of circumstances, to be able to properly advise the prince. Falling apart now would not help anyone, least of all Noctis.

"I don't know," he repeated after a moment in a much calmer tone. "According to Dr. Hayes, the marks on Noct's chest are identical to the marks on his back when he was child," he explained, his gaze wandering back to the prince. "That seems to be how his body reacts to the scourge."

"And his eyes?" Gladio pressed, though his voice was more subdued. That the advisor had lost his composure- even if only for a moment -spoke volumes of how worried he really was.

Ignis shrugged, hissing in pain as he moved his shoulder. "Unknown. The doctor wasn't sure whether to attribute it to the scourge or something else entirely, though he admitted he had no knowledge of any ailment that could cause such a phenomena," he stated, easing his jacket over his injured arm before handing it to the Shield. "Would you mind putting that around Noct? It's the best I can do in lieu of blankets, I'm afraid."

Gladio took the jacket, wincing slightly from his own bruises as he sat Noctis up and wrapped the coat around him. "How's your arm?" he asked, glancing sidelong at the obviously injured appendage. They still had a ways to go with an unknown number of monsters between them and their destination. Noct's very life could depend on the advisor's ability to fight.

Ignis took a few seconds to assess himself before replying. "Sore, mostly," he said after a moment. "Painful to move, though I don't believe anything's broken. It shouldn't prove too much of a hindrance."

Gladio nodded, reading between the lines. Though not in peak condition, Ignis would be able to hold his own in a fight. He glanced down at the prince, gaze drawn to the yellow eyes hidden beneath closed lids. What could change someone's eyes to look like those of a daemon's? It wasn't natural to be sure and he couldn't help but feel like the raven-haired man's time was running out. He shook his head slightly, dispelling the traitorous thoughts as he cleared his throat. "Guess I'll be carrying Noct, then," he said, his voice still a bit rough.

Ignis glanced up at the odd tone, scrutinizing his companion. Gladio had said he was uninjured, but he'd likely taken the brunt of the fall while trying to shield Noctis. "I can manage if you need a break," he offered.

"Nah, it's cool," Gladio declined, maneuvering Noctis over his non-bruised shoulder before rising to his feet with a grunt. He hesitated, feeling guilty at his earlier outburst and knowing what he needed to say would be easier now rather than later. "And... I'm sorry," he apologized, adjusting his hold on the prince so he wouldn't have to meet the advisor's eyes. "I shouldn't have lost my cool like that. I just..." He hesitated again, having difficulty putting his feelings into words.

"It's alright," Ignis interrupted, cradling his arm as he rose to his feet as well. "I know you're worried about Noct. We both are."

Gladio wasn't surprised the advisor had seen through to the core of the matter. Heart-to-hearts weren't really his thing though, so he just nodded before glancing around to get his bearings and setting off down the trail. His gait was a bit stiff at first as his bruised muscles complained, but it didn't take him long to find his stride.

Ignis couldn't help but notice the stiff way Gladio moved, wondering if he was hiding injuries of his own. "Are you sure you're all right?" he asked, studying the Shield with a critical eye. "I am able and willing to take my turn carrying Noct."

"I'm fine," Gladio said, glancing back at the advisor with a wry grin. "Mostly just sore, anyway,"

Ignis raised an eyebrow as his own words were parroted back to him, though he couldn't help the corner of his lips twitching in a subtle grin. "Do let me know when you tire, then."

"Sure."

Ignis took the lead, keeping the pace slow as he kept a watchful eye out for any monsters. Gladio followed behind, periodically heaving the prince back up on his shoulder. They'd been walking for about ten minutes or so when the Shield noticed Noct's arms brushing against a different part of his back as he walked, indicating he was starting to slip off again. He didn't think anything of it as he hefted the smaller man a bit higher, keeping most of his attention on his footing.

The reaction was instantaneous, Noctis bucking and flailing as it he'd been stabbed by a red-hot poker. " _Put me down!_ " the prince demanded urgently through clenched teeth, his tone pained.

Gladio complied immediately, too shocked by the sudden awakening of his charge to do much else. Noctis roughly pushed himself away from his Shield as soon as his feet touched the ground, inadvertently knocking the larger man over in his haste to get away. He took off at a staggering run, hunched over in pain with his arms clenched around his midsection.

Ignis stopped at the sound of Noct's voice, spinning around in time to see Gladio fall as Noctis made his escape toward the trees. A million thoughts ran through the advisor's head as he took in the scene, noting the prince's almost limping gait with alarm. Had they missed some injury? Was he bleeding internally? Or did the scourge affect the mind, as well?

The doctor's words about pain management suddenly came back to him, eyes widening in realization. It was likely Noctis was confused, waking up in pain in an unknown location with no idea of what was happening or why. Given his royal rank, and the fact he had been tossed over someone's shoulder, it was natural that his first inclination would be to escape.

"Noct!" Ignis called out as he hurried after his charge, trying to get his attention before he got too far away. "Wait!"

The prince's response brought Ignis to a halt in mid-stride, the sheer level of desperation in his voice taking the advisor by surprise almost as much as the reply itself.

Noctis didn't slow or look back, calling out, " _Bathroom!_ " almost frantically to keep the others away as he disappeared into the trees.

Gladio simply stared at the place Noctis had vanished, listening to the rustle and snap of leaves and sticks as the prince hurriedly made his way through the bushes. He blinked, his mind needing a few extra seconds to process what had just happened as he turned to Ignis. He had no doubt his own face mirrored the stunned and almost bewildered expression the advisor wore. The whole situation had an almost surreal feel to it and he was tempted to pinch himself just to make sure he hadn't imagined it.

Noctis rejoined them a few minutes later, dour scowl firmly in place as he stepped out of the bushes. "What was that, Gladio?" he demanded, directing his baleful glare at his Shield. "You can't just throw me over your shoulder like a sack of flour or something- you're lucky I didn't pee all over you when you rammed your shoulder into my bladder like that!"

Gladio just stared at the prince for a several seconds, a wide grin spreading across his face. It was typical Noctis, not even awake for five minutes before finding something to complain about- and Gladio wouldn't have it any other way. He started laughing, quietly at first but quickly growing in volume.

Noctis narrowed his eyes, clearly unamused. He couldn't believe he had actually _missed_ this jerk.

"I'm- I'm sorry," Gladio apologized in between laughs. He wasn't trying to upset the prince any more than he already was, but the relief coursing through him at seeing Noctis back on his feet and acting so _normal_ left him feeling almost giddy. "Really, I am."

"Yeah, you sound real apologetic," Noctis replied dryly.

Gladio just shrugged, finally managing to contain himself as he stood, brushing the leaves and dirt from his pants. "I figured if you had a problem with it, you could always wake up and start walking yourself," he said, still grinning broadly.

Noctis rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he muttered something derogatory beneath his breath. He blinked in surprise as Ignis was sudden in his face, standing uncomfortably close. "Um, what's up, Ignis?" he asked, leaning back slightly.

Ignis ignored the query, raising one hand to Noct's forehead while carefully scrutinizing his eyes. His temperature seemed to be back to normal and his eyes had regained their usual storm blue color. Not a hint of yellow- or black -to be seen.

Noctis remained still, not sure what the advisor was looking for, but knowing better than to argue when the man had that _look_ in his eyes. Ignis seemed to release the breath he'd been holding after a second or two, letting his hand fall back to his side and stepping back slightly, though his expression did not change.

"Noct, I'll need you to lift up your shirt," he stated, voice calm and matter of fact though there was an underlying seriousness to the tone that told the prince he would not take 'no' as an answer.

"What?" Noctis asked, his brow furrowing at the odd request. "Why?"

"Just do it, Princess," Gladio chipped in, the tone teasing though his expression was almost as intense as the advisor's.

Though clearly confused, Noctis did as he was instructed. He reached to unzip his jacket, only just then noticing he had Ignis' coat layered on top of his own. Slipping out of the apparently borrowed jacket, he handed it back to the advisor.

Ignis accepted it without a word, his gaze never leaving the prince. He carefully draped the jacket over his left arm so as to not draw attention to his injury until he had verified Noct's own condition.

Somewhat unnerved by the uncharacteristic silence, Noctis unzipped his jacket slowly; inexplicably afraid of what he might see. Judging by the guys' reactions, it was going to be bad. Drawing in a deep breath to steel himself for whatever he might find, Noctis grabbed the bottom of his shirt and lifted it up. He blinked at the sight of three rough and irregular circles drawn in marker and expanding outward. He wasn't quite sure what he had been expecting, but that wasn't it.

"Wha- Are you kidding me?!" he demanded irritatedly, licking his thumb and rubbing it across one of the lines vigorously. The skin turned pink from the rough treatment, but the blue mark stubbornly refused to disappear. "Seriously, I pass out and the first thing you guys do is draw a lopsided target on my chest?!"

"No," Ignis denied, finally relaxing for the first time since hearing the diagnosis. Noctis was awake and acting normally, all signs of his ailment gone. Things were finally starting to look up. "It was because of the scourge," he answered.

Noctis froze, his mind bringing up an image of his evil twin, dark fluid leaking from his glowing eyes and mouth as his expression twisted with cruel pleasure. "Nice try, Ignis," he said, avoiding the advisor's eyes as he pulled his shirt back down. He was trying for a light and teasing tone, but the words came out hollow. "But that's not what the scourge the looks like."

Ignis' eyes narrowed slightly at the odd reaction before realizing that Noctis had literally been unconscious the entire time. It was likely he had no idea he'd even been infected in the first place. "Noct," he said slowly, choosing his words with great care. Given the prince's reaction, it was clear he was still affected by his childhood trauma and Ignis didn't want to upset him needlessly. "How much do you remember of what happened?"

That was a loaded question if Noctis had ever heard one. He bit his lip, debating whether or not he should tell them. On the one hand, Carbuncle had been able to explain a lot to him about what had happened that they would have no way of knowing. On the other, this entire thing was his fault for taking the cursed sword to begin with and there's no way either of them would pass up such a golden opportunity for yet another lecture. Of course, if he did feign ignorance, Ignis wasn't likely to let it rest until he'd found out exactly what had happened in order to prevent a repeat in the future. It was probably better to just get it over with now.

Noctis crossed his arms over his chest defensively as his gaze dropped to the ground. "Before or after I bonded the daemon to my soul?" he asked, keeping his eyes averted so he wouldn't have to see their reactions to his admission.

There was silence for a few seconds, both men shocked by the unexpected response. Gladio recovered first. "What?" he asked, his tone indiscernible as he stepped closer to the other two. "Can you run that by me again, because I'm _sure_ I must have not heard you right the first time."

Noctis sighed, closing his eyes briefly. "I bonded a daemon to my soul," he repeated quietly.

"Are you alright?" Ignis asked worriedly, his eyes scanning over the prince with a critical eye once more.

"I'm fine," Noctis answered with a shrug, refusing to meet the advisor's gaze.

The situation was certainly unprecedented and Ignis couldn't even begin to guess what repercussions may come from it. "Any long-term effects we should be aware of?" he pressed, only just noticing that Noctis had stayed in the full-shade provided by the trees. Their trip would be significantly more difficult if he now shared the daemons' aversion to sunlight.

"I don't think so?" Noctis replied, though his answer sounded more like a question. He shrugged again. "The daemon's gone, so I should be fine."

Ignis nodded, lips pressed together in a firm line. The answer was hardly satisfactory, but it was clear the prince couldn't elaborate any further. He resolved to keep a close eye on him, just to be sure.

Gladio shook his head. "Of all the reckless-"

"I didn't do it on purpose."

"How do you _accidentally_ bond _anything_ \- much less a _daemon_ -to your soul?!" the Shield demanded, his worry for the prince over the last day fueling his anger.

"It was supposed to be a Royal Arm!" Noctis said defensively, meeting his Shield's angry glare. "It _was_ a Royal Arm- until someone turned it into a cursed weapon instead."

"Did you ever stop to think there _might_ be a reason one of your ancestors used a _magical barrier_ to seal off the tomb?!" Gladio shot back, remembering what Prompto had said the night Noctis collapsed.

"Gladio," Ignis cut in, his tone warning the larger man to back off. Although Noctis claimed to be fine, the fact was he had only just awakened and the advisor didn't want to stress him necessarily. The lectures could wait until after he was certain there were no lingering side effects.

Gladio turned away, shaking his head and muttering underneath his breath.

"You were unconscious for over a day and a half," Ignis explained, turning back to the prince. "We've all been very worried."

Noctis ducked his head, once more avoiding the advisor's green gaze. "Sorry," he apologized. He hadn't meant to make them worry.

Ignis' phone rang, cutting off his reply. He lifted the jacket from his arm, unable to hide a wince as he sifted through its pockets. "It's the marshal," he informed them once he'd retrieved it, walking away from the others to give Cor an update on Noct's condition.

Noctis watched him, noting the way he held his left arm close to his body. "Did Ignis hurt his arm?" he asked, directing the words to his Shield.

"Yeah- got thrown off his chocobo this morning," Gladio answered, his tone indicating he wasn't done yelling at the prince, but would hold off for the moment.

Noctis blinked. "He was thrown off his chocobo?" he repeated, surprised. The birds were extremely docile and seemed to take most everything- including attacking monsters -in stride. "What happened?"

"All the birds flipped out when your armiger appeared without warning," Gladio replied, one eyebrow raised in question.

Noctis winced, biting his lip. "Yeah... Sorry about that..."

Seeing the prince knew what he was talking about, Gladio decided to press a bit further. "What was that all about, anyway?" he asked. "Do we need to worry about you activating the armiger in your sleep from now on, or what? 'Cuz I'll tell you right now, I'm not sleeping next to you in the tent if that's the case."

"I needed it to beat the daemon," Noctis said. "I didn't know they'd show up out here first, but I figured I was probably lying in a bed somewhere anyway, so it wouldn't be a problem."

Gladio's eyes narrowed as he studied the prince. It sounded like he'd been actively fighting while his body was comatose. Was that even possible? There was only one way to find out. "So what happened?" he asked.

Noctis sighed. "I thought the sword was a Royal Arm and bonded it to me. By the time I realized something was wrong, it was already too late."

Gladio shook his head. "No, I mean after that," he clarified. "From the sounds of it, you weren't just lying there waiting for this to go away on its own."

Noctis shifted uncomfortably. He didn't want to go into detail about the dream world, but a brief overview probably wouldn't hurt. "I...bonded a daemon to my soul," he repeated after a few seconds. "And it tried to trap me in an illusory world- to keep me complacent while it corrupted my mind. When that didn't work, it started throwing daemons, monsters and more daemons at me." He shrugged, as if it wasn't a big deal. "Took me awhile to find the source, but when I did I killed it. End of story."

That was both more detailed and abbreviated than Gladio had been expecting. He had no idea Noctis had been fighting for his life in a very real sense, though the vague description he gave only begged more questions. "There was more than one daemon?" he asked.

"Yes and no," Noctis said slowly, trying to think of the best way to explain it. "There was only one daemon that was the source- everything else was just parts of me that it had already corrupted, and...repurposed for it's own use, I guess?" He shook his head, knowing that wasn't a very good explanation, but not sure how to clarify further. "It's complicated."

Gladio just stared at the younger man. Illusions, daemons, fighting against himself? It sounded like the prince had had a worse time of it than they did. "And you didn't have any help?" he asked, regretting that he hadn't been there when Noctis had needed him, though he knew there was no way he could've helped the prince fight something inside his mind.

Noctis hesitated. "Yes and no," he hedged, remembering the sword emerging from the Gladio-clone's back before he turned into an iron giant. "It's...complicated."

Gladio laughed humorlessly. "I'll bet," he agreed. He sighed, anger fading as he ran a hand through his hair. It seemed Noctis had already been punished for his careless actions. "Well, whatever the case, I'm glad you had _some_ help in there," he said, looking over his charge once more. "Just...be more careful from now on, yeah?"

"Yeah," Noctis agreed, nodding firmly. "If I never see another cursed sword again, it'll be too soon."

Gladio snorted, but returned the nod.

"So, where's Prompto anyway?" Noctis asked, steering the conversation in a more comfortable direction. "And where are we, for that matter?"

"Thommels Glade, not too far from a Royal Tomb," Gladio answered. "Prompto headed up to the Cauthess Coernix Station for supplies a couple hours ago." The Shield filled Noctis in on what had happened while he was unconscious as the prince munched on some jerky from his and Prompto's secret stash of junk food.

Ignis rejoined them a few minutes later, wincing slightly as he lifted his jacket to replace the phone in one of the pockets.

Noctis eyed the limb, noting the lack of blood or tears in sleeve as well as the absence of a sling. "How long's it been?" he asked, nodding at Ignis' arm while holding a potion out to the advisor. Although his magic allowed him to imbue certain types of drinks with remarkable healing properties, the effects were lessoned based on the amount of time that had passed since the initial injury. After eight to ten hours, the potion would act as a mild painkiller at best.

"Within thirty minutes, I'd say," Ignis answered, accepting the potion and crushing it in his hand. He sighed as the healing magic washed over him, testing the movement of his arm. The limb was still a little sore, but nothing more than that. "I'm afraid I have bad news," he informed them, slipping his jacket back on.

"What's up?" Gladio asked, his expression matching his serious tone.

"The marshal has engaged several magitek engines between the Cauthess Rest Area and the Chocobo Trading Post, steadily leading them away from our position," he explained, adjusting his glasses. "However, the last ship he encountered stopped and opened the hatch but neglected to drop any MTs before closing and heading in our general direction."

"But we haven't seen any drop ships in hours," Gladio pointed out.

"Precisely," Ignis agreed nodding. "Which is why, as I have been unable to raise him on the phone, I fear Prompto may be in grave danger."

 **-LINE BREAK-**

Prompto's spine went ramrod straight at the telltale metallic clunking of an MT running behind him. He stiffly turned his neck, wide eyes confirming one of the troopers had left its post and was heading right for him, gathering the attention of the other five units at the checkpoint. Without a second thought, he dug his heels into the bird's flank, spurring it straight from a mosey to a gallop.

The road turned in the opposite direction about the same time the rocky side of the mountain receded, leaving a modest forest in its wake. Prompto made a beeline for the trees, hoping to put some cover between himself and the rifle-wielding MTs. He hadn't made it very far past the tree line when the staccato of gunfire rang through the air, bullets narrowly missing their target and exploding the bark on the tree next to him. The chocobo reared back in fright, dumping its ride and disappearing into the thick brush.

Heart beating frantically against his ribcage, Prompto quickly scrambled back to his feet and took off in a crouching run, heading further into the trees. All hope of escape had fled with the chocobo, but he knew he had no chance of fighting them head on- especially with his limited ammunition.

The heavy clunking of metal on metal was getting louder as the MTs drew nearer, sending Prompto into a panic. He dove into a large clump of bushes, gritting his teeth against the sharp branches raking at his exposed arms and jabbing into him all over. Painful as it was, he didn't dare move- scarcely daring to _breathe_ -when the loud metallic steps slowed to a halt as the MT reached where it had last seen its target. The hunt had now begun.

Prompto squeezed his eyes shut, silently begging the troopers to pass him by. He was lying on his side, legs drawn up to his chest in the hopes his boots weren't sticking out in the open. His upper half was supported on one elbow to keep his head out of a particularly brittle clump of dead braches in his mostly green hiding spot. The painful irritant of sticks and twigs jabbing him _all over_ was swallowed up by the fear gripping his heart with its cold claws as he listened to an MT walk up from behind...and stop next his clump of bushes.

The blond didn't know how his heart could leap into his throat while simultaneously plummeting down to his stomach, but his had done just that. His lungs forgot how to function as beads of sweat formed across his brow, sliding down his cheek. Wide eyes darted all around, wishing desperately to be able to see what the MT was doing- because _of course_ he was facing the wrong direction -but his neck refused to move. Fear completely paralyzed him, agonizing seconds stretching out to an eternity as he waited, helpless, for the steel fingers to reach in and end his life.

Minutes seemed to stretch on endlessly before the MT inexplicably just...walked away. Prompto barely had time to ponder that before his lungs suddenly remembered how to work. His entire body throbbed with the hundreds of- no, there must be _thousands_ of them -little twigs and sticks jabbing into his _everything_. Gasping for breath as quietly as he could, the blond gingerly tried to shift to a more comfortable- or, rather, less _un_ comfortable -position. He froze once more as an incredibly loud _snap_ sounded close to his ear, accompanied by a sudden release of pressure from one of the branches against his scalp. Surely, there was no way they could have missed _that_.

Cringing, he waited for all the units to converge on his position. After several long seconds with no noticeable change in their movement, Prompto allowed himself to relax once more. In retrospect, listening to them clank and stomp through the area, it was no wonder they couldn't hear him over the noise they themselves were making. With that thought in mind, he began repositioning- or carefully breaking off -the more painful branches poking him. He did his best to track the MTs by sound alone as he worked, freezing whenever a trooper wandered too close.

After several long minutes, Prompto had cleared enough room around himself to be able to shift from his side without moving the branches hiding him too noticeably. Despite the aching muscles of his neck and a particularly sharp rock digging into his hip along with his gun- because why _wouldn't_ he have landed on his right side -he took it slow, knowing a single mistake could be his last. He carefully turned and shimmied around in the confined area until he had his knees underneath him, though he kept his head close to the ground. He froze as he heard another MT stop next to his hiding spot, slowly turning his head toward it.

The brush was thick, which made it difficult to spot the gray metal of the robot. It wasn't until it started moving away once more that the blond saw it at all, jaw dropping slightly at how far away it actually was. Though the heavy clanking of its steps were practically ringing in Prompto's ears, the MT was easily five or six feet away, if not more. No wonder none of the units had spotted him yet.

Prompto took a deep breath, holding it for several seconds before releasing it slowly. He knew he couldn't stay here forever, counting on his sheer dumb luck to save him. The MTs had come close to his hiding place several times- though not as close as he had previously thought -and it was only a matter of time before one took a few more steps in the wrong direction. If he was going to have any chance of getting out of this alive, he needed to fight back.

It seemed the Empire hadn't wasted much in the way of artificial intelligence on these troopers. Once a target was identified, they were literal killing machines; executing combat maneuvers that simply weren't possible with a human body. Without direction, on the other hand, they only wandered aimlessly around the area with no cohesive pattern, waiting for either the target to appear or perhaps a ranking officer to give them new instructions.

This would work to Prompto's advantage, assuming they weren't smart enough to figure out where the bullets were coming from. Close combat had never been his strong suit but sniping targets from a safe distance was right up his ally. Unfortunately, moving to a distance he would consider 'safe' didn't seem to be a viable option. He'd have to focus on remaining unseen and hope for the best. He raised his head as high as he dared to check the MTs positions and immediately knew what he needed to focus on first. Step one: finding a hiding place with a better vantage point.

Whether by happy accident or if the Six were smiling down upon him, the noise of heavy clunking and trampling through the undergrowth was only coming from the right side of his bush. For whatever reason, none of the MTs were searching the area to his left. Biting his lip- and praying fervently he was right -Prompto carefully parted the branches and stuck his head out. A quick glance around didn't reveal any units lying in wait and when no troopers immediately started running toward him, he carefully crawled out of his hiding spot.

Feeling incredibly exposed, his eyes raked over the area for another hiding spot that would conceal him while allowing him to watch the MTs...like that large bush- or was it a short tree? -a mere four or so feet away. It looked a bit taller than Prompto was with mostly full foliage throughout the middle and top, though not quite as thick toward the bottom. What he could see of the branches didn't look too dense either, probably with enough room for him to squeeze in between them. It was perfect for his needs.

Still crouching low to the ground, Prompto glanced back at the bush he was currently using for cover. While high enough to block his view of the surrounding area, it wasn't terribly tall- especially from a standing position. If he were spotted, it would be game over. Should he make a break for it or would it be better to wait? Those clunking steps sounded awfully close... Did that MT sound closer than before or was that just his imagination? Maybe he should crawl back into his bush, just in case he was wrong and it decided to check over here... Or should he head for the new hiding spot and hope for the best?

Prompto bit his lip, clenching and unclenching sweaty hands inside his gloves. He knew he needed to make a decision before the matter was taken out of his hands entirely, but the wrong choice would end in disaster. He was still arguing with himself when he realized the steps were heading away once more. Hoping for the best, he quickly started army crawling his way to the tree-bush-thing.

The blood rushing through his ears was incredibly loud as his heart rate shot through the roof, pumping the adrenalin through his veins. His heart about stopped when the clunking steps paused, sure that the MT had somehow heard him over the noise it was making. The thought spurred him to crawl more quickly in order to reach the safety of the tree- bush? -even though the voice of logic in his head (that sounded suspiciously like Ignis) pointed out that the hiding spot would be useless if he were seen. He ignored it- because one simply _did not_ tell Ignis to shut up if one knew what was good for him -and crawled on.

As he made it safely to the other side of the tree- for surely it was too tall to be a bush -he couldn't help breathing a sigh of relief. He carefully rose, first to a sitting position and then to his feet, eyes continually darting around for any MTs in his line of sight, even though the noise indicated they were all on other side of the tree. As soon as he was upright, he climbed into his new hiding place, moving what branches he could to make room and contorting his body around those he couldn't. It didn't take him long to decide that this spot was even more uncomfortable than the last. Where was a hunting blind when he needed one?

Once Prompto had wedged himself in as far as he could go, he surveyed the area from his higher vantage point. He had a surprisingly good view of the area, even if he had to twitch various branches to this side or that in order to follow the MTs as they milled about. The various trees and bushes like the one he was in- they really did look more like bushes from farther back -scattered about the area did cause some blind spot in his field of view, but otherwise it was perfect. With a grim smile, the blond reached for his gun. Unfortunately, several solid branches prevented him from pulling it from the holster.

Several minutes and silent but creative swear words later, Prompto managed to contort his arm and hip enough to be able to free the weapon. The barrel had just cleared the leather when the hammer caught on a twig sticking out at just the right angle and almost knocked the weapon from his tenuous grasp. Biting back on a few more curses, Prompto carefully maneuvered it around until he could use his other hand to adjust his hold, fully wrapping his fingers around the grip. Weapon finally in hand, he turned his attention back to the MTs, deciding which should be his first target.

After a moment's thought, he decided it'd probably be best if he aimed at the farthest unit from his position. After all, he knew from experience that it would take quite a few bullets to disable the MT and he didn't want to draw the other troopers to him. Based on what he'd seen so far, they should to follow the obvious signs- like one of their own falling over -rather than the bullet's trajectory back to the source. At least, that was his hope.

After a bit more shifting and contorting around the branches, he got the gun high enough to aim accurately, though he had to hold another limb out of the way with his free hand. A properly placed bullet in the mechanical neck could disable the trooper, disrupting communication between the MT's CPU and the rest of its body. Although the high collar of their uniforms combined with the low back of their helmets made it impossible to see the neck, he hoped two or three bullets in that general area would get be enough to get the job done.

Prompto carefully lined up the shot, quickly counting the units. All six were in his field of view and his target was facing the opposite direction. He gently squeezed the trigger, the explosion of gunpowder almost deafening in the relative quiet of the forest. The MT jerked forward from the force of the impact, landing in a metallic heap. The other five units turned as one toward their fallen comrade, tromping over and staring down at it for several seconds. As the fallen trooper managed to pick itself back up- head hanging slightly to one side -they all turned away and continued their aimless wandering.

Prompto let out the shaky breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding. It worked- his plan had actually worked! He grinned, suddenly giddy with the feeling of accomplishment. It didn't matter that his legs were started to cramp from the slightly squatting position he was holding or that there were sticks jabbing into his ribs hard enough to bruise. He had successfully found a reliable method to take out the death machines with his limited ammo- and without putting himself in danger, to boot! All he had to do was wait for the right moment to strike.

The gunman's excitement faded as the minutes dragged on, the burning in his legs increasing every second. He shifted uncomfortably, branches creaking around him as he tried to relieve the pressure without moving too much. The MTs had spread out once more, each following its own random pattern as they wandered about the area.

Prompto watched them carefully, waiting for them all to be facing mostly away from him once more. His breath caught in his throat as one turned and walked a few steps away from the blond, leaving only one MT facing him. He raised his gun, taking aim and waiting for the last one to turn. Seconds ticked by, adrenalin surging once more as his anticipation mounted. He took a deep breath, holding it briefly before releasing it to steady his nerves. He wasn't going to miss this shot.

After what felt like an eternity, the MT finally turned away. Grinning in triumph, Prompto started squeezing the trigger...only to quickly release it with a curse as not one, but _two_ more units turned in his general direction. He held back a groan of frustration, lightly bumping his forehead against a branch. This was going to take forever!

Several more agonizing minutes later, all the units in his view were finally facing away from him once more. Prompto didn't hesitate, not wanting to miss the shot again. The retort rang out through the forest, blending in with the loud clanking of metal-on-metal as another MT fell to the ground. The gunman silently congratulated himself on landing another hit, counting the units as they jerkily tromped toward their damaged fellow. He paused, only seeing four plus the one on the ground. Where was number six?

Ears still ringing from the gunshot, Prompto hadn't realized how close the clunking metallic steps were to his position until a lopsided pair of red eyes stepped into to view. It was the trooper he had hit earlier, previously hidden from sight by a poorly placed branch. Although it was still five or six feet away from his hiding spot, it was staring directly at the gunman as it moved toward him with halting steps.

Prompto panicked. Without thinking, he aimed and fired a second shot at the sparking wires just visible through the damaged collar. His aim was true, the robot's head flying through the air as its body jerked before collapsing noisily. Its arms caught on the limbs of a tree behind it, sagging limply on its branches.

This was bad. Prompto's gasping breaths were overly loud in his own ears as he glanced toward the rest of the mechanical soldiers. All of the MTs, drawn by the sound of the bullet, were heading toward the destroyed unit...and Prompto's position. His limited view through the branches suddenly seemed far too open, providing too little to conceal himself from the enemies' glowing eyes. There was no way they wouldn't find him this time.

He had to move before they got too close, slipping out the back of the tree and dropping to the ground. Crawling on his stomach as quickly as he could, he focused on getting as far away as possible, keeping the tree between himself and the remaining troopers. He couldn't hear the heavy steps through the brush over the pounding of his own heartbeat, his breaths coming in quick gasps.

A large rock seemed to rise up in front of him from nowhere and he quickly crawled behind it, vision starting to grey out around the edges as his hearing was swallowed up by the blood rushing through his veins. His inner Ignis made another appearance, calmly informing him that he was hyperventilating and that he needed to slow his breathing if he didn't want to pass out.

It took a couple of minutes for Prompto to get his breathing under control, both vision and hearing going back to normal afterward. He took stock of his new hiding place, noting the rock was just tall enough for him to sit up without being seen, though only provided coverage from one direction. He carefully edged his head around the side, trying to see where his pursuers were without being spotted himself.

The MTs were milling about once more, fruitlessly searching the area around their fallen comrade...about fifteen yards away. Prompto was surprised he'd managed to make it that far without being spotted. However, the distance would make it easier to move it to a new hiding spot before he started picking off targets again.

An hour or three later- it was difficult to keep track of time when he was running and hiding for his life -Prompto had finally managed to get down to the last two units. Not wanting to make the same mistake as last time, he'd changed hiding spots frequently, never firing more than two shots from the same place. Even though he had been very careful after that first scare, there had been a few close calls and he was still extremely lucky to have made it this far undetected.

Prompto had his next hiding spot picked out- a small boulder next to a squat but full pine some ten or so yards away -and was just waiting for the right moment to strike. It almost seemed like the MTs had caught on to his trick as one always seemed to have him in its field of view. However, as he was not willing to make the same mistake again, he waited with the patience of a saint for the opportune moment to appear. He had already hit both of them once, which meant the next shot would likely be fatal.

It was several long minutes more before fate smiled upon him as both troopers turned their backs to him, one a little ahead of the other. Taking a deep breath, Prompto raised his gun; sighting the target and pulling the trigger. The furthest MT jerked forward from the force of the impact as the gunshot echoed through trees, the exposed wires in its neck sparking and hissing as it fell to the ground in a crumpled heap. The blond waited for a second or two, body tense as he prepared to make his move. Predictably, the only remaining MT turned and started walking toward the fallen unit, allowing Prompto to scamper quickly to his new hiding spot.

He had to break cover, crawling as quickly as he dared across the open area so as to not draw the remaining trooper's attention. His heart was pounding in his chest as he finally slid behind the rocks, taking a few seconds to just breathe- though he was careful to keep it controlled and quiet -before carefully peeking out through the branches of the tree next to him. The MT had turned away from broken remains and was once again wandering the area aimlessly. Prompto allowed himself a soft sigh of relief. Five down, one to go.

Though his new hiding spot was uncomfortably close to the edge of the forested area- with only a scant twenty or so yards between him and the cleared land around the Saxham farms -he wouldn't need to hide anymore once the last trooper had been taken care of. Elated by his accomplishment, Prompto grinned as he imagined Ignis' and Gladio's reactions to learning he had single-handedly taken down six MTs- with limited ammunition, no less. The excitement was short-lived as imaginary Ignis praised his accomplishment while subtly rebuking him for drawing their attention in the first place, and Gladio just cut straight to critiquing his technique. On second thought, perhaps it was best he just not mention this to them at all...

Quietly as he could, Prompto opened the revolver's cylinder. Though he'd been keeping a mental tally of how much ammunition he had left, the two remaining bullets were still a sobering sight. He _clicked_ it back into place as gently as he could, trying to muffle the sound with his hand. Just one more shot and he was home free.

Using the branches as cover, he raised his gun and trained it on the last MT. A low humming became audible just as the trooper turned toward him, presenting a clear target. Prompto ignored the familiar sound, focusing on the slightly damaged neck visible beneath the metallic chin and squeezed the trigger. His aim was true, the bullet hitting the mark and almost taking off the robot's head completely.

"Yes!" Prompto yelled, jumping to his feet and pumping his fist in the air as the MT fell to the ground. "I never miss!"

The gunman's jubilations were quickly put cut short as the humming grew louder at a rapid rate, drawing his attention once more. His heart plummeted as he recognized the sound, almost frantically scanning what he could see of the skies. It seemed the reinforcements would be arriving at any second.

 **To Be Continued**

 **Author's Note:** Final chapter will be up next week. Merry Christmas!


	9. Chapter 9

**Happy New Year!**

 **Chapter 9**

The gunman listened as the humming of an MT drop ship drew nearer, berated himself for his carelessness. Even if they never saw him, it was obvious someone was here taking out the MTs. Of course they would send reinforcements.

The high-pitched hydraulic whine of the ramp being lowered was easier to track than the humming of the engine and Prompto turned just in time to see the first MTs jump off it. The robots landed in the cleared area just beyond of the tree line to his right...less than thirty yards away from his position.

Knowing it took several seconds for the units to orient themselves once on the ground, Prompto quickly hurried away from his now-exposed spot. He headed to a large pine with branches low enough to grab and strong enough to hold him, making sure the trunk was between him and the new batch of MTs as he shimmied on up. He didn't stop until he couldn't climb any higher, the branches creaking ominously beneath his weight.

Prompto glanced back down, watching the MTs enter the tree line through the branches. He gulped, realizing he was a bit higher than he had anticipated. He shook his head, resolutely ignoring the butterflies suddenly fluttering about in his stomach. He didn't have time to focus on that now. There were nine...no, _twelve_ more troopers ready to end his life if he gave away his position. And he had only one bullet left in his gun.

He watched as the MTs spread out, their search pattern a _little_ more cohesive than the previous group, though they still looked like they were aimlessly milling about for the most part. He watched them for several minutes, shifting slightly as his rear started to go numb. While climbing the tree had seemed a good idea at the time, there was no way he could get down- much less, slip away -unnoticed. And, being robots, they could ostensibly stay out here for _days_ before someone called them back. Prompto desperately hoped Ignis or Gladio would come looking for him long before that. Surely, they'd at least _call_ when he didn't come back-

Prompto felt like smacking himself. He had a phone, he could call them! Even if they couldn't come- because Noct's safety was their top priority, after all -surely Ignis could come up with some sort plan for him to get away, right? With that thought in mind, the blond pulled out his phone and pushed the power button. His heart dropped at the picture of a battery with a line through it that flashed a few times before the screen went dark once more. Apparently, he'd forgotten to charge it at the motel last night. Well, there went any hope of a rescue...

Almost as if in response to his thoughts, the gunman heard a couple of familiar voices- faint at first, but steadily growing louder -urging their chocobos faster. Prompto looked in their direction with renewed hope, leaning back in order to see past the branches and trees blocking his view. He'd just caught a glimpse of the first rider- not much more than a blur of black on yellow -as the limb he'd been sitting on snapped.

Prompto screamed as he suddenly found himself falling, handfuls of pine needles coming off in his grip as he flailed for purchase. Branches tore at his skin and clothing as he hit them on his way down, finally landing on the hard ground below. He just lay in the dirt for several long seconds, groaning as his entire body throbbed. That was definitely going to leave a mark.

His wallowing was cut short by the clanking of metal on metal incredibly close-by, forcing him to open his eyes. An MT was standing over him, its glowing red gaze boring into his own as it raised its axe overhead.

Prompto grabbed his gun in a panic- miraculously still in its holster -and fired blindly. At the exact same moment, a sharp whine pierced the air as something red crashed into the MT, the force of the blow literally blowing the unit apart and scattering the pieces around the area.

"Hey, watch it!" Noctis yelled, leaving a red after-image behind as his feet hit the ground. Narrowly avoiding a bullet in the head wasn't quite the thanks he'd been expecting when he'd warped to Prompto's aid.

"Oops, sorry about that," Prompto apologized automatically. With the way Noctis warped around the battlefield, this was a fairly common occurrence. He blinked as the prince handed him an elixir, breaking it out of habit as his mind finally caught up with everything else. "Noct! You're awake!" he exclaimed as the healing magic washed over him.

"Can't get anything past you, can I?" the prince teased dryly, pulling out his greatsword as two more units converged on them. He put all his weight into a horizontal swing, cutting both MTs in half. He almost stumbled as the greatsword struck on immovable object with a solid _thud_ , stopping his momentum cold. He blinked at the tree Prompto had fallen from, his blade wedged an inch or two into its thick trunk. Banishing the weapon with a curse, he summoned his sword and finished off the mostly-destroyed units.

Prompto blinked, still a little dazed. "Dude, did you just-"

"You saw nothing!" Noctis hissed, glancing back to see if Gladio had witnessed the mishap. Not only would he never hear the end of it, but his Shield would make him do awareness exercises for the next _month_ to boot.

"Nothing," Prompto repeated, a grin spreading across his face as the prince extended a hand, pulling him back to his feet. "Right."

Noctis sent him a dour look but didn't reply, summoning a dark gray sword edged in red that Prompto had never seen before. The prince threw it at his next target before the blond could voice his questions, warping after it in a flash of red. Prompto blinked at the high-pitched whine that now accompanied the familiar move, as well as the crimson trail of magic tracing Noct's passage through the air. He was positive it used to be blue, wondering what could have happened to make it change color.

"All right, Prompto?" Ignis asked, pulling his chocobo to a stop next to the blonde and sliding off its back as Gladio continued further on to help Noctis with the MTs.

"Yeah- I'm good," Prompto answered, shaking off that train of thought. He could worry about it later. "I'm outta bullets, though, so I'm gonna have to sit this one out. Never made it into town."

Ignis arched an eyebrow at him. "Now that Noct is back on his feet, you should be able to access the arsenal once more," he informed the gunman, his tone carefully neutral.

Prompto blinked in surprise, his jaw working soundlessly as tried to come up with a reply. Having been so focused on his dwindling ammunition during the last several hours, he'd completely forgotten the gun at his hip wasn't his usual weapon. He grinned at the advisor sheepishly, biting his lip. "I guess I had a bit of a blond moment there," he admitted, blushing lightly with embarrassment.

"Understandable, given the circumstances," Ignis assured him, tone still professional though one side of his lips quirked up in a subtle grin as he moved to join the others. "However, as we are in the middle of a battle, might I suggest paying closer attention in future?"

"Right," Prompto muttered, still embarrassed by the slip but grateful it had been in front of Ignis and not one of the other two. They'd never let him live it down.

It didn't take long for them to finish off the remaining MTs, making quick work of the humanoid robots. "Good hustle out there," Gladio said, clapping Noctis on the shoulder. "That tree never knew what hit it."

Noctis groaned, knowing it would be a long while before his Shield tired of harassing him about that. "I was hoping you missed that," he muttered.

"Are you kidding? Iggy and I had front row seats, what with you warping right off your chocobo's back and all," he said, still grinning though his voice had taken on a serious undertone. "I'm sure Prompto appreciates the assist, but do ya think you could hold off on the heroics until the cavalry is a _bit_ closer next time?"

Noctis shrugged off the hand still gripping his shoulder. "I thought I was the cavalry," he said loftily, a smug grin spreading across his face. "How many MTs did you take out again? Three?"

"Wise-guy," Gladio muttered.

Ignis decided to cut in before the conversation devolved any further. "Noct, did anything feel...off?" he asked delicately. "Particularly in regards to your magic when warping?"

"Not really," Noctis answered, a bit hesitantly. "Why?"

"The... _color_ of it has changed," the advisor explained.

"Yeah," Prompto chipped in, nodding. "Your after image and the trail when you warp are both red now."

"Phasing through attacks, on the other hand, is still the usual blue," Ignis continued. "I was wondering if you might have any ideas as to why that is, or if it is something we should be worried about?"

Noctis grimaced, having a pretty good guess. When he'd seen Prompto fall and fail to rise before the MT lifted its axe for a killing blow, he'd panicked. They'd still been a pretty good distance away and even with a warp-strike he knew he'd be cutting it close. Remembering Carbuncle's words about the sword enhancing the power of his warp-strikes, he'd summoned and thrown it without a second thought. Given how the MT had practically exploded from the force of the impact, he couldn't say he was disappointed with the blade's performance.

"Um... Yeah," the prince hedged, rubbing the back of his neck. He knew this wasn't going to go over well. "My...new sword enhances the power of my magic when I warp-strike."

"Your new..." Ignis trailed off as the meaning became clear. "Surely you're not suggesting that you are actually _using_ that weapon?" he asked, incredulous.

"The one from the cave?" Gladio asked, staring at the prince in disbelief. "Have you lost your _mind?!_ "

"It's fine," Noctis said impatiently, waving his hand as if to brush aside their concerns. "Carbuncle vetted it and everything."

Prompto was feeling decidedly lost with the whole conversation. It was clear he had missed something, but he didn't even know where to start. "Uh, Carbuncle?" he asked, hoping the name would clarify a few things.

"An astral," Ignis answered distractedly, continuing to stare at Noctis as if he could uncover all of the prince's secret through the sheer force of his gaze alone. "Though not one of the Six. A lesser deity, one said to govern the realm of dreams."

"I don't think 'govern' is the right word for it," Noctis muttered, remembering how little power the fox had over the dream world. He could offer helpful suggestions- and apparently heal Noctis from life-threatening injuries -but not much more than that. "Anyway, I don't know why it changes color when I use it, but I would guess it's because the sword's innate magic is boosting my own," he explained, matching his advisor's gaze unflinchingly. "Carbuncle said it was fine, so that's good enough for me."

Ignis let out an irritated sigh, clearly not satisfied with the vague answer but unable to argue with the logic. Prompto still looked lost.

It was then that Noctis noticed the three of them looked suspiciously clean. Gladio's brief summary of what had happened while he was unconscious came back to him, the pieces clicking together in his mind. "You stayed in a motel last night," he said reprovingly.

Ignis raised an eyebrow, both at the sudden shift in the conversation as well as the accusation itself. "You did as well," he pointed out.

"Yeah," Prompto chipped in. "You got a nice, soft bed- which is more than _some_ of us can say," he grumbled, throwing a pointed look at the advisor.

Ignis ignored both the comment and the look. He had seniority and was not going to apologize for the privileges that came with it.

As far as Noctis was concerned, their arguments were null and void as he couldn't really enjoy the comforts of a motel in his comatose state. Still, the bed wasn't what he took issue with. "You all got a _shower_."

Ignis sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You have the opportunity to bathe every night at camp."

"No, taking a sponge bath with a bowl of cold water or skinny dipping in the lake isn't going to cut it tonight," Noctis stated adamantly. "I want a shower."

Gladio grinned, thinking of a few alternatives that would still fit the definition of 'shower.'

"And before anyone gets any _bright ideas,_ " Noctis continued, sending a pointed glare at his Shield, "that means inside a building, steam filling the bathroom, with water hot enough to sear the dirt from my skin."

The wording struck Ignis as a bit odd, his mind flashing back to the cold that had gripped Noctis since falling unconscious. The prince's temperature had seemed back up within normal parameters when he'd checked earlier, though perhaps using the cursed weapon was affecting him negatively once more. Without thought, the advisor stepped closer to young royal, holding his hand to the other's forehead.

Noctis batted the hand away irritably. "There's nothing wrong with me wanting a hot shower," he complained, crossing his arms over his chest. "You all had the luxury of one last night. That means I get one too."

The advisor pursed his lips in displeasure at Noct's actions, though he didn't try again. The prince's skin was still warm to the touch, so perhaps his demands did stem from a desire to bathe using proper facilities. Ignis could hardly fault him for it, knowing how much he himself enjoyed a warm shower after a few days without.

Gladio wasn't quite so understanding. "Sorry, but you slept through your chance," he said, still grinning broadly. "After all, we don't have the funds to stay in a motel all the time."

"Yeah- you snooze, you lose, Noct!" Prompto added, mirroring the Shield's grin.

"Maybe you should try getting up earlier in the future," Gladio continued.

"Right, I'll keep that in mind for the _next_ time I bond a daemon to my soul," Noctis stated dryly.

"Wait- _what?!_ " Prompto exclaimed, doing a double-take. "You bonded a _daemon_ to your _soul?!_ "

"Don't try to distract me by changing the subject," Noctis said before turning to Ignis. "How are our funds looking? We have enough for another night in the motel, right?"

"We do," Ignis answered without hesitation.

"Yes!" Noctis said, pulling his fist down in a sign of victory.

"Unfortunately, without the Regalia, we can't make it to any towns outside of the area likely being searched by magitek engines before the sun goes down," Ignis continued, ignoring the prince's groan of displeasure as he glanced up at what was visible of the sky. "As it is, we've already loitered here too long. We should discuss our destination and be on our way before more reinforcements arrive."

Gladio pulled out the map, unfolding it as he stepped up next to the advisor. "I'd say we're right around in here somewhere," the Shield stated, pointing to the map.

"If we continue heading this way following the mountain range, we should hopefully reach the Daurell Caverns some time this evening," Ignis stated, tracing their course with his finger.

"That'll take us pretty close to this imperial base, won't it?" Gladio asked, pointing to the icon on the map.

"We'll have to skirt its outer edge," Ignis agreed, gesturing to the smaller icons surrounding it. "Though the trees should provide enough cover if we're careful."

"Why are we heading back to the caverns?" Noctis interrupted, glancing from his advisor to his Shield and back again. "That's pretty far out of our way no matter where we're heading, right?"

"It is, but I'm afraid we need to gather our camping equipment," Ignis explained, releasing his side of the map as Gladio started folding it back up.

Noctis blinked in surprise. "You mean you just _left_ all our stuff down there?" he asked, incredulous.

Gladio snorted. "Well, it was either that or pack it all out and leave _you_ behind instead," he said, just a touch of sarcasm coloring his tone. "For some reason, Ignis wouldn't let us go for the latter option, so..."

Noctis was still staring at them uncomprehendingly. "Why carry it at all?" he pressed. "I mean, I have a subspace storage area that we've been using since we left the Crown City."

"Yeah," Gladio agreed, sticking the map back in his pocket. "Which we can't access when you're comatose."

Ignis pulled out the chocobo whistle, summoning the birds while Noctis just stared at his Shield. Now that Gladio mentioned it, he vaguely remembered his dad telling him something to that effect before instructing him on how to share this part of his power with his personal Crownsguard. It had never been an issue and he had honestly forgotten about the warning. "Wait," he said, distractedly taking the reigns Ignis handed him as something else occurred to him. "Does that mean you couldn't access the arsenal, either?"

Gladio pulled himself up onto his bird's back, grimacing as he settled into the saddle and squirming a bit uncomfortably. "Nope."

Camped out at the bottom of a daemon-filled cave, down one fighter and weaponless. The equipment really would have been the least of their concerns. Noctis hoisted himself up onto his own chocobo's back, looking around at his companions. "Sorry," he apologized. Even though it hadn't been intentional on his part, he still felt a bit guilty for the extra hardship he'd inadvertently placed on them.

"Just try to avoid repeating this in future, hm?" Ignis suggested, mounting his own bird.

Noctis huffed out a wry laugh. "Will do," he assured them. This wasn't an experience he wanted to repeat any time soon, if ever.

Prompto scowled, switching his glare between the three. "Seriously?!" he demanded, unable to stay silent any longer. "Is _no one_ going to call him out on admitting to bonding a _daemon_ to his _soul?!_ "

Noctis blinked at the blond, belatedly remembering he hadn't been present for that discussion earlier. He quickly averted his eyes when the icy blue glare turned back to him. Although he'd been able to get away with telling Gladio only the basics of what had happened, Prompto was sure to have a lot more questions. And there was no longer a member of the team in need of a conveniently timed rescue to cut the conversation short.

"We need to move," Ignis stated, seemingly disregarding the question as he spurred his chocobo into a canter.

The others followed suit, Prompto looking decidedly put-out at being ignored while Noctis breathed a soft sigh of relief. Good ole Ignis, always there to bail him out whenever he needed it-

"Though with the lengthy ride ahead of us, I'm sure Noct will have plenty of time to regale us with his tale," the advisor continued, glancing back at the prince over his shoulder. "Gladio said you mentioned something about illusions and corruption, I believe?"

...the back-stabbing, traitorous bastard that he was. Perhaps there was a reason it was always the advisor who betrayed the king in popular fiction. Noctis sighed, slouching forward in the saddle. It was going to be a long trip.

 **-LINE BREAK-** /p

The trip was almost depressingly uneventful, providing everyone with ample time to pester Noctis with questions about his own ordeal. He ended up sharing most of what he'd experienced with them, though there were a few things he held back. He didn't fully understand Carbuncle's explanations about why his friends didn't have faces for example, or why the Gladio-clone had turned into an iron giant, so he left those details out of the re-telling. Just thinking about his evil twin was still unsettling, so he was deliberately vague about that part; focusing instead on the need to destroy the sword. And he still fully intended to take the bit about the haven to his grave.

They stopped for a late lunch once Gladio was satisfied they were far enough away from the Saxham Farms- and any of the magitek reinforcements being sent there -mandating the conversation finally turn to a new topic: food. Due to their lack of supplies, dishes and cookware, it was unanimously voted cups noodles was on the menu. Noctis was nominated as their impromptu stove, being the only one capable of coating his hands with a fire spell and regulating the temperature to heat a plastic jug of water between them.

Ignis ushered them all back into the saddle as soon as they'd finished eating, reminding them of how much ground they had to cover and the limited hours of sunlight in which to do it. They passed by the imperial base not long after lunch, spotting one magitek engine leaving, though it was headed in the opposite direction and too far away to see them through the trees.

The sun had set by the time they reached the trail head leading to the caverns, the sky slowly turning to purple as the light faded from the land. Given the late night and early morning, the three Crownsguard were all noticeably lagging in their saddles. None of them fancied a further three-hour trek through the caves- assuming they didn't lose their way -and Noctis himself was ready to call it a night if only to be able to get off the chocobo's back for awhile.

It wasn't long before the prince could see the entrance to cave- dark and decidedly uninviting in the fading light. What drew his attention, however, was the bright light shining through the trees off to his right, a mostly overgrown trail just visible through the weeds. "What's over there?" he asked, pulling his bird to a stop and glancing back at his companions.

"I'm not sure," Ignis answered uncertainly as he and the others stopped as well. "I didn't think there was anything else out here..."

"Well it ain't a daemon, that's for sure," Gladio stated, noting how bright the light was.

"Think someone lives out here?" Prompto asked hopefully.

"Let's check it out," Noctis said, grimacing slightly as he slid off his bird's back.

The others followed suit, groaning in relief and walking with varying degrees of stiffness from too long spent in the saddle. They followed the path around a bend, surprised to find a small tackle shop and pier next to a fishing pond nestled against a rocky outcrop. The shack was locked up tight- the owner having left long before the sun had set -and looked barely large enough to allow the clerk to sit down inside it. The path they'd been following turned into a well-used dirt road near the pier, continuing past the shop and disappearing into the trees. Two large stadium lights flooded the area, bright enough to keep the daemons away and obviously meant to protect the shop.

"We could rest here and continue on in the morning," Ignis suggested tiredly, the lack of movement over the last several hours making it increasingly difficult to remain awake.

"Sounds good to me," Gladio said, stretching his arms out above his head. Prompto nodded his agreement, covering a yawn with his hand.

Noctis blinked at the uncharacteristic responses, turning to his Crownsguard in surprise. His question died on his lips at the their slumped shoulders and dragging feet, taking in how tired they all looked. Because of the birds' build, it was necessary to lean pretty far forward when going any faster than a walk on a chocobo. He hadn't realized how exhausted his companions really were.

"If...you want," he agreed slowly, turning his attention back to the open space. All the normal monsters that inhabited the area didn't come out at night because of the daemons and the daemons themselves wouldn't come near the light, so he figured it should be safe enough. His eyes moved back to the pier as his lips twitched in a slight smile. "Should I catch us dinner or would you rather go straight to bed?"

Ignis huffed out a tired laugh at the reversal of their usual roles. "I'll see if I can find any herbs growing nearby," he said, thinking of the numerous spices he'd left sitting on the table in the depths of the cave with some regret. "Would you mind gathering some firewood, Prompto?"

"On it," the blond agreed tiredly, already trudging toward a few dead sticks visible in the grass. Although he felt like he could just curl up on the ground and sleep right there, his stomach felt a single serving of cup noodles was not an adequate amount of food for the day.

With the assignments given, Noctis headed out onto the pier, glancing at the sign listing the different types of fish that lived in the pond as he summoned his rod. The water was murky and still, giving no indication that anything was moving within the depths. He carefully attached a lure to the fishing wire, keeping most of his attention on the water's surface. A faint ripple drew his eye and he immediately cast his line into that area. It didn't take long to get the fish interested, quickly jerking back on his pole once he felt it bite. The prince smiled as the hook caught, turning the rod with the fish and reeling intermittently to tire it out.

Noctis knelt down on the edge of the pier once it had given up the fight, hoisting it out of the water with his fish grippers. It was a catfish, dark brown in color with vertical white stripes down its sides from head to tail. He glanced at the digital numbers on the handle of the grippers, nodding appreciatively. "10.9 pounds. Nice," he commented to himself, looking down at his catch. "Ignis should be pleased with this."

"You did good."

Noctis jumped slightly at the unexpected voice so close behind him, assuming everyone else was busy with their own jobs. He turned to see Gladio sitting on the wooden boards of the pier, leaning tiredly against the side of the shack. "I thought you were building the fire?" he asked, glancing back toward the road.

The Shield raised an eyebrow at his charge, obviously having caught his start of surprise, but let it slide. He was too tired to start lecturing the prince on being aware of his surroundings at the moment. "No point until you catch something," he pointed out instead. "Besides, Ignis will still need to prepare it. I got time."

Noctis gave him an odd look, but handed him the fish. As long as he was there, he might as well make himself useful. "I didn't realize watching me fish was that riveting," he commented drily, casting his line out again.

"Trust me, it's not," Gladio said, chuckling quietly. "It's about all I can do to stay awake."

"If it's that boring, then why are you over here?"

All levity was gone from his tone when Gladio replied. "Because the last time I let you go fishing by yourself, you ended up in a coma."

Noctis paused, his line going still at the unexpected answer. He kept his gaze on the water, watching the ripples expanding outward from his lure. In hindsight, he supposed he really should have seen it coming, but it still caught him off-guard. "That's...not gonna happen again," he said slowly, keeping his attention on the lure as he continued twitching it in the hopes of enticing another fish.

"Glad to hear it." Gladio's voice didn't betray any of his thoughts.

There were several seconds of silence before Noctis sighed. "Look, that was a one-time thing," he said, lowering his rod as he turned back to his Shield once more. "So why don't you go build the fire- since, you know, you're the only one of us that can?" It didn't normally bother him when his Crownsguard hung out and watched him fish, commenting both good and bad on whatever he caught. However, ridiculous as it may seem, it was different when he knew he was being guarded, making him feeling smothered instead. Yes, he'd made a mistake with the cursed sword, but he'd also managed to take care the problem, hadn't he?

Gladio met his gaze unflinchingly, amber eyes tired but unwavering. "Not gonna happen."

Noctis scowled. "I don't need a baby-sitter." He'd been training to fight with every possible arm imaginable for over a decade and literally had an arsenal of weapons at his disposal. One mistake did not mean he wasn't capable of looking after himself.

Gladio sighed, recognizing the stubborn streak he knew so well as it reared its ugly head. "I told you before," he began, keeping his voice calm. He was too tired to fight, but wanted to make Noctis understand his position. "We of Amicitia are sworn to protect the king with our lives- and I take that duty very seriously."

Noct's stance lost some of its defiance, brow furrowing slightly in confusion.

"The night before last," Gladio continued, "I let you go into that tomb alone."

"Prompto was with me," Noctis pointed out, though there wasn't much conviction in his tone. Neither of them doubted the blond would do everything in his power to help Noctis if anything happened, but he simply didn't have anywhere near the training given to the King's Shield.

"Yeah, Prompto was with you," Gladio repeated, inclining his head slightly as he conceded the point. "And when he started screaming, Ignis and I ran over to find you on the floor- no injures and no reason why we couldn't wake you up."

The prince flinched slightly, though there was no accusation in the tone.

Gladio sighed again, dropping his gaze to stare unseeingly at the fish clutched in his hands. "All I could think was that I had failed in my duty," he admitted quietly. "That because I was too busy _cleaning my sword_ to do my _job_ , you were-" He broke off abruptly, shaking his head before looking back at the prince once more. "I'm not going to fail again," he declared.

Noctis just stared at his Shield, words failing him for a moment. He'd had no idea the brunet felt that way and it didn't sit well with him at all. "It wasn't your fault," he argued. "Even if you had been there... It looked like a royal tomb- it _was_ a royal tomb," he corrected himself. "The statue was lying on the bier and holding the sword, just like all the others... You wouldn't have known anything was wrong until it was already too late to stop it."

"Maybe. Maybe not," Gladio replied with a shrug, though it was clear the prince's words hadn't changed his mind. "The point is I wasn't there when you needed me."

Noctis bit his lip hesitantly, his fingers tightening around the all but forgotten rod in his hand. Seizing upon the distraction, he turned back to the end of the pier and pulled the line back in before casting it out again. Although he felt it needed to be said, he couldn't bring himself to face Gladio while doing it. "You were there when I needed you... In the dreamscape, I mean..."

"Yeah, all three of us were," Gladio said dismissively. "But providing extra manpower against whatever daemons you conjured in your mind isn't really the same."

Noctis shook his head. "No, that's not what I meant," he said, keeping his gaze fixed on the water though his mind replayed a very different scene. "You... I know I said you three appeared and helped me fight the daemons, but that was...actually just Ignis and Prompto." He hesitated again, biting his lip as he tried to figure out the best way to phrase what he wanted to say.

Gladio stared at the prince's back, not quite sure what to make of that admission. "I didn't show up at all?" he asked, voice soft with disbelief. Although he was a bit vague with the details, Noctis had said he'd subconsciously created a version of each of them when he'd needed help. If that was only true for Ignis and Prompto, did that mean Noctis hadn't faced off against any enemies requiring Gladio's brute strength? Or did the prince not truly trust his own Shield?

Noctis quickly shook his head again. "No, you did, it's just..." He sighed, deciding to just come out say it. "When I finally found the portal, it took me to a darkened landscape. Carbuncle shouted out a warning, but I didn't see anything or anyone even remotely nearby. Then you just appeared out of nowhere and pushed me out of the way." He bowed his head slightly, shoulders slumping at the memory. Even though he knew it hadn't really happened, the image was burned into his mind. "When I turned around...I saw the sword sticking out of your back." He seemed to curl in on himself, his next words barely audible. "You...didn't make it."

Gladio didn't know what to say. While it was relieving to know Noctis had that much faith in him, it almost made the fact that he'd failed in reality even worse. He dropped his gaze back to the fish in his lap. "But that didn't happen, Noct," he said at last, a bit of bitterness coloring the words. It was depressing when an imaginary version of himself performed his duties better than the genuine article.

Noctis misinterpreted the tone as one of chastisement, anger flashing through him. "You think I don't know that?!" he snapped, a bit more sharply than he'd intended. He took a deep, shuddering breath and held it for several long seconds before releasing it slowly. Gladio wasn't wrong, but the pain of losing him in the dream- duty or not -was still too fresh to be dismissed out of hand. "Doesn't matter, anyway," he mumbled, already regretting bringing it up at all as he pulled his line back in and recast in a different part of the pond. If he didn't start focusing on his fishing, they wouldn't be eating dinner until the morning.

The brunet was taken back by Noct's harsh response, blinking at the younger man's back in bemusement. It was clear Noctis had been affected by the incident, even though he said he had known it was dream at the time. Then again, what did knowing something wasn't real actually mean if he was conscious of what was happening around him? The dreamscape he'd described mirrored reality, both in appearance and physical laws. It would likely be difficult to keep the two separate, especially in an emotional situation like that. "I'm...sorry you had to see that," he offered after a moment. Even with as much as it had obviously hurt the prince to watch, Gladio wouldn't apologize for doing his duty.

Noctis shrugged with forced nonchalance, keeping his attention on his lure. "Just...don't try for an encore, yeah?"

The brunet huffed out a laugh, though there was no humor in it. "No promises."

Noctis gave a small sigh, half-heartedly making his lure twitch in the water. He wasn't surprised by the response- Gladio was the King's Shield after all -and he'd always known that one day the brute might take a bullet for him. The dream had brought the seemingly remote possibility to life in a very real way, and though Noctis didn't like it one bit, he also knew he couldn't change it. "...right," he breathed.

"You might make his job a bit easier by taking a few less risks yourself," Ignis spoke up, interrupting the solemn atmosphere that had descended over the pair.

Both Shield and prince whipped toward the new voice, neither having heard the advisor's approach. He and Prompto were standing in the grass at the opposite end of the pier, the blond offering a weak wave and looking like a deer caught in the headlights. Ignis' expression was indiscernible, as always.

"How long have you two been standing there?" Gladio demanded. "Lemme guess- long enough, right?"

"I was coming to check on your progress," Ignis stated, glancing at the fish in Gladio's lap. "I'm pleased to see at least you were successful, Noct."

"I take it that means you weren't?" Gladio asked, unsurprised. Given the darkening sky, the advisor wouldn't have gone far and it was always more difficult searching for herbs by flashlight as opposed to sunlight.

Ignis raised an eyebrow at the Shield. "I don't see a fire burning anywhere," he returned, looking pointedly at the pile of sticks Prompto had gathered back by the road. "But you are correct in that I was unable to locate anything," he admitted.

Gladio's response was cut off by a faint sound of surprise from the prince. A fish had taken the bait, yanking sharply on the line when it realized it couldn't get away. Although the pole was clenched firmly in his hand, the unexpected lurch pulled Noctis off-balance. He stumbled toward the edge of the pier as he tried to regain his footing, instinctively grabbing the rod with both hands.

"Try not to fall in," Gladio called.

"Thanks for the advice," Noctis bit out, managing to steady himself once more.

"No, really," the brunet continued, his voice a bit hesitant. "I don't think we have any dry clothes for you."

"Seriously?!" Noctis demanded incredulous, half turning to face his Shield.

"Yeah, that was my bad," Gladio apologized, rubbing the back of his neck. "You were out cold, so I didn't think to grab any of your clothes before we left."

The fish used Noct's distraction to its full advantage, wearing the line thin as it thrashed about in the water. "Ah! The line's gonna snap!" Prompto called out worriedly. He was starving and really didn't want to have to wait for the prince to catch another fish if this one got away.

An irritated noise came from deep in his throat as Noctis turned his attention back to the pond, setting the matter of his wardrobe aside for later. With a firm stance and a practiced eye, he expertly matched the fish's movements in the water; turning the rod with it and reeling it closer to the pier every time it stopped thrashing. It struggled against him, jumping out of the water a few times in a desperate attempt to dislodge the hook from its mouth before finally giving up the fight.

Careful of the frayed line, Noctis pulled it toward the pier and lifted the striped catfish from the water with his grippers. "16.3 pounds," he read out, turning to the others with a grin as he held up his catch.

"Nice work, dude!" Prompto commented, hurrying forward to take the fish. "We can start cooking these, right?" he asked, throwing a hopeful look at the advisor.

"I'll need to clean them first, though it will be a rather bland meal I'm afraid," Ignis cautioned, relieving the Shield of the fish as Noctis banished his rod. "If you wouldn't mind seeing to the fire, Gladio?"

The fillets were cooked on sharpened sticks over the open flames and consumed with gusto despite the lack of seasonings. It had been a long day all around and everyone decided to turn in after dinner, despite the early hour. Unfortunately, the cold night and total of two blankets in their limited supplies meant they had to double up. After stoking the fire, they all settled down to sleep with two on either side of it. Though Prompto and Ignis were both out fairly quickly, Gladio wasn't quite so lucky.

"Quit hogging the blanket!" Noctis complained, tugging ineffectively at the cover. He couldn't quite get the corner up over his shoulder and the chill night air seeping through his clothes was uncomfortably reminiscent of the scourge that had plagued him just that morning.

The Shield groaned, keeping a firm hold of the opposite edge. "We each got half," he grumbled tiredly. "Go to sleep."

"You are taking up _way_ more than half."

"I'm bigger than you," the brunet pointed out, his words slurring together slightly as sleep pulled at him. "Besides, with how scrawny you are, you probably have enough to double it over as is."

Noctis scoffed, not wanting to get drawn into another argument about his 'lack of muscle.' Just because his biceps weren't bulging, it didn't mean they weren't there. Gladio was simply built like a tank. Sighing in irritation, Noctis rolled onto his side; folding his arm underneath his head in the hope what little hair he had would be sufficient to keep his shoulder warm. The movement pulled his shirt up enough for a decidedly _cold_ rock to meet his side as he laid back down, unable to repress the shiver that ran down his spine. He quickly used his free arm to readjust the clothing before settling down once more.

The full-body shudder next to him pulled Gladio's mind back to the waking world, turning his head to look at the raven-haired man. Noctis had his back to the Shield, one arm tucked up under his head and hunched over slightly as if he were cold, despite the fire only a few feet in front of him.

Gladio blinked, brow furrowing in bemusement. Was the prince really that cold? It had gotten chilly once the sun had gone done, but the blanket and the fire were enough to keep the brunet warm. His mind flashed back to that morning: remembering holding Noctis slumped over his arm as they rode toward the tomb, his skin cool to the touch and gradually growing colder. Could this be a leftover symptom from that? The Shield tried to remember if Noct's hand had been cold when he'd pulled the younger man to his feet after dinner, deciding it hadn't been. Did that mean this was some sort of psychosomatic thing? Or could it be something else entirely? Given Noct's admission when he'd been fishing, it was clear the prince hadn't told them _everything_...

Gladio let out a deep sigh, bringing one hand up to rub his eyes. He was too tired to deal with this tonight. Besides, regardless of the cause, Ignis would be much better equipped to handle the situation than he was. For now, he'd just do what he could.

Noctis was gazing into the flames, not paying much attention as his bedmate shifted behind him until the large body slid up close to his own, matching his position. One beefy arm pulled the excess blanket created by the shift over Noctis before the limb flopped down, lying limply across the prince's stomach.

Noctis went stiff as a board as his Shield _cuddled_ \- there really was no other word for it -with him. He'd woken up in the middle of the night with Ignis' arm thrown over him or Prompto snuggled up to his chest enough times to know this was an almost nightly occurrence- especially when it got really cold -but he'd always been asleep long before the initial contact occurred. Being awake- and knowing _Gladio_ was still awake -was just awkward and a little unsettling. "I'm not your teddy bear!" he hissed, not wanting to wake the others for more reasons than just being polite. He felt more than heard the deep rumble in Gladio's chest as the Shield chuckled softly.

"Relax, princess," the brunet mumbled tiredly, pillowing his head on his other arm. He could feel himself losing the fight to stay awake, not that he was trying very hard. "You were the one complaining about being cold. This way, there's more blanket to go around."

Noctis seriously debated giving Gladio the blanket and just moving closer to the fire. "That's not what I-" he broke off as a soft snore interrupted him, indicating his Shield was already asleep. "Are you kidding me?!" he demanded, though the words weren't louder than a whisper.

Predictably, there was no answer. Noctis huffed out a sigh, laying his head back down on his arm. For some reason the position didn't feel nearly as weird now that Gladio was asleep and the man was like a furnace to boot. He returned his gaze to the fire, watching the flames dance through the air as his mind wandered.

The earlier discussion by the pond had brought the memory of Gladio's sacrifice to the forefront of his mind, replaying the scene over and over again. Noctis had never been comfortable with the idea of others sacrificing themselves for him, less so when the person in question was a close friend. Even though it had been made clear what his Shield's role was from the day they met, he had still been unprepared when he saw the sword emerging from the brunet's back. His mind knew it hadn't really happened- the warm, _living_ presence at his back giving his heart affirmation of the same -but he still needed to come to terms with the fact that it _could_.

The fire crackled quietly, glowing embers flying up into the air as one of the sticks fell before burning out as they were caught by the light breeze. It was a peaceful night, even with the far-off growls and snarls of daemons as a backdrop and Noctis felt himself starting to drift, despite the heaviness of his musings. The stray thought came to him that _this_ was what Carbuncle had meant. No city walls, no warding runes, not even a _tent_ for protection. Just Ignis, Prompto and Gladio nearby- the latter literally acting as a barrier between him and the rest of the world -and Noctis felt _safe_.

For the moment, it didn't matter that he was a hunted man, ever on the run from the Empire. It didn't matter that he was somehow supposed to fulfill a destiny he only had a vague hint about. It didn't matter that daemons were prowling in the darkness just outside of the light, waiting for a short or power fluctuation to strike. Here, lying on a dirt road next to a forgotten fishing pond in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by his closest friends- his _family_ -he felt safe. He was home.

 **The End**

 **Author's Note:** And, that's all. Drop me a line if you enjoyed the ride!


End file.
